Sister Ellen "Bernice" Peterson

1918 - 2013

Sister Bernice Peterson went to be with our heavenly father on October 12, 2013. She was a deaconess with the Grace Lutheran Church.

She was born in Colorado Springs to Carl and Anna Peterson on June 10, 1918. The family homesteaded in Ellicott, CO during the late 1800's. Her family was among the founders of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church. They later moved to Colorado Springs where they helped found Bethany Lutheran Church, which later merged with Grace Lutheran Church.

Sister Bernice graduated from Seton School of Nursing in 1942. She attended Bethany Lutheran College in 1946. In 1951, she obtained her B.S. in Nursing from the University of Colorado at Boulder, CO. She also received a Masters degree in Personal Service from the University of Colorado in 1952. In 1975, she received a second Masters Degree in Maternal & Child Health from the Texas Women's University in Dallas TX.



From 1942-1946, Sister Bernice served as a First Lieutenant in Okinawa with the U.S. Army Nurse Corps and was honorably discharged in 1946.

After her discharge, she worked as a nurse at Glockner-Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs and as a teacher at the School of Nursing at the Augustinia Hospital.

In 1954, Bernice attended the Immanuel Deaconess Institute and became a deaconess in the Lutheran Church. During this time, she worked both in the clinical area and taught courses in Psychology. From 1971-1978, she was an asst. professor at the Lenoir Rayne College Dept of Nursing.

Before she retired in 1983, she was the charge nurse at the Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center in Brush, CO and moved to Colorado Springs where her family resided.

Sister Bernice was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Mrs. Adeline Miller, her aunt Alma Meinzer and her nephew Ronald Miller.

She is survived by her three nephews Gary (Judy) Miller, Larry Miller, Lynn Miller and two great nephews William Miller and Brian Miller in Colorado Springs, CO.

She will be greatly missed by her family, the Lutheran Deaconess Community, and all of those whose lives she touched.

The family would like to thank Laurel Manor staff for all of the care they showed her during her time there.

Interment will be Friday, October 25th 2013 at 10:00 AM with a memorial service to follow at Grace Lutheran Church, 1128 E. Boulder St. at 11:00 AM Colorado Springs, CO.