DeYota Hagestad 'De' Petersen

Montana native and lifelong Montana resident, DeYota Hagestad Petersen ("De") of Polson and formerly of Great Falls, died peacefully in Fullerton, Calif., on June 13, 2006, after a brief Illness.

DeYota earned her associate's degree in Education from Northern Montana College in Havre. She went on to teach elementary school in Idaho, Montana and Washington before leaving teaching to become a mother and homemaker. DeYota was an avid golfer and a founding member of the Polson Garden Club.

De was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, James T. Petersen, in 2003. De and Jim were classmates in college and after Jim returned from the Navy during WW II, they married on Sept. 15, 1944, in Pasco, Wash., where they both taught school for a few years.

They returned to their native Montana and eventually settled in Great Falls where they lived for over 30 years.

They retired to Polson in 1980, where they enjoyed golfing, views of Flathead Lake and, most of all, their friends and family.

De is survived by her children, a son Rohn J. Petersen and his wife Kerry of Parker, Colo., and a daughter, Renae P. Chaulk and her husband Robert of Brea, Calif. Also surviving her are seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.