Ethel Peterson

Ethel Anola Hamilton Peterson went Home to be with Heavenly Father and her family on Sunday, November 19, 2017. She was 92 years young. Ethel was born Dec. 26, 1924, to James Campbell Green Hamilton and Eliza VaMeryl Jensen Hamilton, the 2nd of 7 children. She grew up in Shelley, Idaho, attending schools there. She attended Ricks College in Rexburg for 2 years, where she played clarinet in the Ricks College Band. She graduated with an Associates Degree in Elementary Education.

After graduating, she taught a combination 1st/2nd grade class at the elementary school in Terreton, Idaho. There she met her future husband, Lee S. Peterson, thru Church activities.
They were married Dec. 5, 1945, in the Idaho Falls Temple, on the first day that the temple was open for weddings.

They made their home in Terreton, where Lee farmed with his father until 1957 when they moved to Jerome, Idaho. Lee continued farming while Ethel helped on the farm, taught school for one year at Canyonside Elementary School, helped establish and teach at a private kindergarten, and worked as a substitute teacher for many years in the Jerome school system. After Lee retired from farming, he and Ethel were custodians at the LDS church building in Jerome. In 1990 they moved to Shelley to be closer to family. There Ethel resided until 2014 when she moved to Lincoln Court in Idaho Falls.

Ethel was very active in the LDS church. She played the organ and piano in church meetings for many years. She sang in the ward choir and also in a group that was known as the Singing Mothers. She also served in various callings in Relief Society and Primary.
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She is survived by her 5 children, Nan (Jim) Hancock, Idaho Falls; Merlene (Rod) Shurtliff, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Africa; Nolan (Wendy) Peterson, Burley, ID; Leon (Debbie) Peterson, Blackfoot; ID, and LeAnn (Doug) Ressler, Pleasant Grove, UT. She was preceded in death by a son, a grandson, and her husband. She has 31 grandchildren, and 62 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Saturday, November 25, 2017 at the Shelley1st Ward Chapel (184 North Park). The family will meet with friends Saturday morning form 10:00 till 10:45 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Shelley Hillcrest Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Nalder Funeral Home in Shelley.