Ruth Darlene Anderson was born on May 1st, 1936 to Charles and Oletha Anderson. She was their second of three daughters. Ruth, as she was called in younger years, was a blonde headed little gal with a huge smile. She tool ill at 5 years of age with polio and God spared her as she was not crippled by the dreaded disease. Nebraska was her home state, so farming and small towns was all she knew.
She gave her heart to Jesus at the age of 9 and stayed true to her commitment to Christ until Jesus called her home. Darlene became an accomplished pianist in her teens. She met Neil Petersen who was from Minnesota while he was working at the Sioux Army Ordinance Depot in Sydney, NE at 18. Darlene was the base chapel organist. They were married on January 8th, 1955. While Neil was in college after the US Army Korean conflict on his GI Bill, they became parents to Lori when Darlene was 19 and Neil (Pete) was just 24 years old. They moved in May to California after graduation from Southeast Community College in Millford, NE to settle in the San Bernardino area. By 1959 they were parents again to David, who was born the same year that Darlene’s dad was killed in an industrial accident and in 1961 the story arrived with Cheryl.
Our family ran a very busy and successful auto repair shop from 1968 until 2000. We were very active with the Colton Chamber of Commerce, the Automotive Service Council of California, and Danish Brotherhood in America Lodge…later the Woodmen of the World Lodge. They were very faithful to the churches that they attended and were bold in sharing Jesus as members of Gideon’s Int’l. Darlene had 2 previous bouts with cancer, once in 1983 and again it returned in 1991. Both times the treatments and surgery were very radical and tool a toll on the entire family.
Darlene loved people and people loved Darlene. She worked long hours serving in many organizations, like Angel Tree. Making sure that prisoner’s children received a Christmas gift or summer camp. She helped every year with Vacation Bible study. This last summer they had a camping theme so Pete parked the RV in the church parking lot and had a fire pit. She made s’mores for the kids in attendance. She loved sharing that experience with the kids. Her ladies bible study was the highlight of her week. Playing the piano or organ for every church they ever attended was what Darlene did. She played for countless weddings and memorials. Her genuine heart rejoiced with the happy and grieved with the mourning.
Her grandchildren and great grandchildren were all very close to her since she dedicated her time and energy to being part of their daily lives. Her marriage served as a true example of what God intended marriage to be, until death and in love every moment of it.
On the morning of Dec. 28th, 2017, Jesus took her home to be with him in glory as God decided enough is enough, “Well done. You have been a good and faithful Servant.” She had not received the test results of a biopsy taken right before Christmas revealing that she had a very aggressive cancer that was going to be cruel and painful. God spared her of what was ahead and we are all very thankful for the wonderful wife, mother and friend that she is.