Sara Peterson

Sara Ross (Crouch) Peterson passed from this life on February 28, 2015, in Plano, Texas. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, March 14, at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Durant, Oklahoma, with Pastors Jim Shroyer, Ross B. Kirven and Linda Whitworth-Reed officiating.

Sara C. Peterson was born June 1, 1927, at Woodneath, the family dairy farm near Liberty, Missouri, the first of five children of Edwin and Naomi Crouch, where she grew up, worked on the farm and attended Liberty schools. She also lived briefly on a farm in Alberta, Canada, as a young child. She attended William Jewell College in Liberty, and earned her degree in Home Economics at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.

One summer while working as a waitress at the YMCA Camp in Estes Park, Colorado, she met Bob Peterson, a security guard. After a long-distance courtship, they married on August 21, 1949, at Woodneath, the family farm in Liberty, Missouri. She and Bob enjoyed 55 years of marriage and had two children, Robert William Peterson and Dorothy Sue Peterson Liwai.

Sara was a long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church of Durant where she held several positions, including deacon, elder, Clerk of Session, and Sunday School teacher. She was also an active member of numerous local and national organizations, including Camp Fire, DESS, Fortnightly Club, Newcomers, Durant County Club, several bridge clubs, the Three Valley Museum, the Embroiderers' Guild of America, the National Association of Needle Arts and Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

Sara owned and operated Sara's Shoppe for over 50 years, and taught knitting, crocheting, quilting, and needlework. For many years she attended the annual Callaway School of Needle Arts at Callaway Gardens, Georgia, one of America's premier needle arts schools, often accompanied by her daughter-in-law Pam Peterson. Her needlework won recognition for excellence in several venues.

She and Bob were honored to be the Durant Magnolia Festival's Belle and Beau in 2003.

Sara was preceded in death by her parents Edwin Yancey Crouch and Mary Naomi (Mohler) Crouch, in-laws Robert Victor Peterson and Bessie Berdena (Loy) Peterson, husband Robert Harry Peterson, siblings William Mohler Crouch, Edwin Riley Crouch, Marie Louise (Crouch) Pryor, and brothers-in-law Richard Phillip Peterson and Charles Franklin Pryor.

Survivors include her son Robert William Peterson and his wife Pamela Jean (Benson) Peterson of Plano, Texas; daughter Dorothy Sue (Peterson) Liwai and her husband Jack Haleakala Liwai of Durant; grandchildren Kathryn (Katie) Marie (Peterson) Hickernell and husband Capt. Eric Lloyd Hickernell of Whiteman AFB, Missouri, Robert John (Maika) Maikahaleokeakua Liwai and Sara Ruth (Kai) Kanakaokai Liwai of Durant; brother John Judson Crouch and his wife Charlotte Crouch of Waikoloa, Hawaii, sister-in-law Betty Sue (Adams) Crouch of St. Louis, Missouri; nieces Deborah (Debie) Louise Pryor of Sun City, Arizona, Diane Rue (Pryor) Jones and husband Aaron Jones of Osage Beach, Missouri, Elizabeth (Ibby) Adams (Crouch) Woodsmall and husband Robert Sander Woodsmall of Wildwood, Missouri, Richelle Jan (Peterson) Dunham of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, Jill Ann (Peterson) Rolstad and husband Erik Bruce Rolstad of Ashland, Oregon, and Dana Loy Peterson of Spencer, Oklahoma; nephews Charles (Chuck) Riley Pryor and wife Louella (Taylor) Pryor of Versailles Missouri, and Steven William Crouch of St. Louis, Missouri, and a host of other family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Sara's memory to one of the following organizations: First Presbyterian Church, 501 N. 15th, Durant, OK 74701, or the Three Valley Museum, P.O. Box 1191, Durant, OK 74702, or the Durant Education and Service Sorority (DESS) 1754 Bryan Drive, Durant, OK 74701, or the Alzheimer's Association (http://www.alz.org/ ).

Family hour will be Saturday, March 14, at 10 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Durant.

Family and friends may send online condolences and view tributes at www.holmescoffeymurray.com.

Services are under the direction of Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home, Durant, Oklahoma.