JoAnn Peterson

   JoAnn Peterson, 67, of Sioux City, passed away on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at her residence following a long illness. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Monday, August 10, 2020 at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Online condolences may be directed to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

   JoAnn, a longtime human resources director at Briar Cliff University, was born on December 27, 1952, in Washington, D.C., to Nellie Frances and David Barlow. She graduated from Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in human resources from Briar Cliff. For 20 years, she was business manager for the Daily InterLake newspaper in Kalispell, Montana. Later, she joined Briar Cliff where she worked for 14 years before retiring. JoAnn married Ron Peterson on December 27, 2002, their shared birthdate.

   A loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, JoAnn enjoyed weekly date nights, traveling and playing games with her friends. She loved the holiday season and spent days making sure her home was ready and fully decorated for entertaining family and friends.

   JoAnn, a master gardener, also enjoyed planting and tending to her garden where she could commune with nature. Family members say she wasn’t happy unless she had dirt under her fingernails. She loved drinking her morning coffee and enjoyed evening sunsets on her back deck, with the flowers, songbirds, turkey and deer.

   Most of all, she loved spending time with her family. Going back to Montana, talking daily with her girls and watching her grandchildren at their sporting events were particularly special.

   She is survived by her husband; two daughters: Cindy (Steve) Henderson, of Kalispell, and Angela (Jake) Jenkins, of Sioux City; three sons: Michael (Megan) Burns, Jeffrey (Jill) Burns and Gene (Kai) Burns, all of Kalispell; a step-son, Matthew (Larryn) Peterson, of Memphis, Tennessee, and a step-daughter, Michelle Peterson of Fort Dodge, Iowa; 15 grandchildren: Austin, Courtney, Chelsey, Nicole, Robby, Kaylub, Jaden, Wyatt, Jayce, Noah, Kaden, Jayden, Jaxson, Madeleine, and Landrie; one great-grandson, McKinley, and numerous nieces and nephews.

   She was preceded in death by her mother and father.

   Memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Association.