Lois Robel

On a cold Thursday, November 4,1926 Lois Peterson was born to Harlan and Elvera (Hedlund) Peterson on a farm in Ragan, Nebraska. The spunky redhead was the fifth in line of six children. On October 6, 2025, Lois, the family Prayer Warrior just 29 days shy of her 99th birthday, gained her wings and was carried to her eternal home by a throng of singing angels.
We always said Lois had an "in" with God. Snoqualmie Pass could be closed but if you asked her to pray for you because you had to get across, the conditions changed, and the weather cleared up. Every single time! How can you not conclude she had an "in" with God? She would send off prayer requests to Mt. Angel Trappist Abbey, one of her favorite retreat places. We are comforted by the fact that she is praying for us until we meet again.
In 1942, the Peterson family moved to Selah, Washington. As a junior in high school, she started a lifelong work history when she walked into Middleton's Drugs on the second day in Selah and the owner asked her if she wanted to work and promptly offered her a job. She graduated from Selah High School in 1944.
She attended Yakima Business College while still working at the drugstore. The college placed her with a job as a private secretary and bookkeeper at Martin's Beer Brewery in Selah. Her girlfriend who was working for dentist, Dr. Vaughn, was leaving and asked Lois to work for him. So, Lois attended Yakima Valley Junior College's night course for dental assistants while working for Dr. Vaughn during the day. She was one of the first five to graduate from the dental assistant program at the Yakima Valley junior college night school course. When Dr. Joseph Maguire, MD came home from the Navy, he took over the practice for Dr. Makin and asked Lois to work for him until 1955.
After being introduced by friends, on June 10, 1950, Lois married Dan Robel at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Yakima. They bought a 40-acre fruit ranch in West Valley and moved into the ranch on July 16, 1954. Lois had planned to stay home, raise a family, and help with the fruit ranch when they were blessed with two sons- in 1955 Tim and Tom. She drove a tractor, picked fruit, smudged, handled payroll, and did whatever was necessary in the ranch. This was not an uncommon practice for many families who owned orchards or farms.
In 1966, a dear friend, Judy Weist was having surgery, so Lois was asked to go to work in her place at Thompson-Hayward Chemicals, working there until they sold out in 1983. Her friend Dolores LaCoursiere was working for Dr. Vorenkamp and told her that ophthalmologist, Dr. Rick Ehlers was coming to Yakima and needed help. In September 1986 she went to work at the Eye Center as their first employee, until 2017, retiring at the youthful age of 91. She was with them for 31 years and enjoyed working and being with all the crew and patients at the Eye Center. She greeted patients with a smile and a hug.
Lois was a very active member of Holy Family Catholic Church starting when services were held in Fr. Queen Gym and eventually building the current parish. She was a Eucharistic minister, on the parish council, Bible study, Holy Family Chain prayer group, and greeter. She joined YLI,(Young Ladies Institute) Yakima #96, March 20, 1946, holding the president's office from 1952 to 1953. As a lifelong member she served in all the offices except treasurer and secretary. She was the institute's first recording secretary. She was the Institute Deputy to Queen Institute in Seattle and would fly over once a month after working all day and fly home the next day in time to make it work.
In 1953, Lois was one of the six YLI ladies that started their first smorgasbord to raise money for priests and seminarians. Lois was also a very active member of Saint Paula's Guild and Saint Theresa's Prayer group.
Lois joined the NobHill Grange in March 1954 where she was highly active. They delivered a lot of dictionaries to the schools.
Lois and Tom loved to watch NASCAR and drag racing. The house would vibrate from the tv volume! Watching football and keeping up with all the teams was second to none. There was not a sport she did not like. Lois loved to cook, bake (many people were recipients of her yummy Pecan pies), and grow flowers. Her greatest joy was being with her family, cooking for them and having them at her home. Marisa and Angie looked forward to grandma's beef stew (which they claim is the best they have ever tasted) and cookies. We could not count the dozens of cookies she baked for St Paula's Guild Booth at the Holy Family Bazaar or YLI's smorgasbord or December cookie sales.
Lois was one tough woman. She survived 5 different cancers. She credited Dr. Tom Boyd with saving her life twice. There were so many people who came into her life-Dr. John Boucher, Jack Meyer and Thompson Audiology, Dr. Ecklund, Dr Davenport, Dr Mike Clark to help her on her journey and she was so thankful to God for them. On December 11, 2019, Lois moved in with Tim and Amanda. She always told people she had chores to do, such as folding any laundry or washing and putting away dishes.
She wrote this out, "most of all I would like to thank Tim and Amanda for always taking such good care of me. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren loved to spoil her as well". Hugs! She always said people needed 10 hugs a day to be healthy, and she made it her daily mission to reach that goal. If you were lucky enough to receive a Lois hug, you know what we mean. Her last request was for everyone to give everyone a Holy Hug.
Lois was preceded in death by her husband Dan, son Tom, parents and siblings. She is survived by son, Tim (Amanda), granddaughters, Marisa Sager and Angie (Jon) MacKenzie, great grandchildren James Sager, Rylie Sager, Averi MacKenzie and Jace MacKenzie, 2 special nephews, Sport (Kate) Matthews of New Jersey and Gaylord (Connie) Peterson of Nebraska as well as many other nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Family Parish, on Thursday, October 16, at 10:30 am in the main church with Rosary preceding the service at 9:00 am in the chapel.
Please join us for a luncheon in the Fr Murtaugh Gathering Hall following Mass. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery on Friday, October17, 2025 at 1:00 pm.
Lois loved bright colors so feel free to dress in bright colors.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Holy Family Seminarian Fund, Mt Angel Trappist Abbey, St. Joseph Marquette's Sister Rebecca Foundation, North Star, or Jesuits of your choice.
The family is being cared for by Brookside Funeral Home. Memories and condolences can be shared on www.brooksidefuneral.com