Anna Ruth Peterson

Anna Ruth Peterson, 89, formerly of St. Augustine Fla., died peacefully on Dec. 19, 2010. She was living in Raymore, Mo., near her eldest daughter, Diane Deaton. She was buried in a private service at Pacific View Cemetery, Corona Del Mar, Calif., next to her husband, Ralph Wesley Peterson.

Ruth was born in El Paso, Texas, the daughter of Richard Byron and Lena Laurette Montgomery, and grew to adulthood in Houston, Texas, where she married Ralph W. Peterson on Jan. 20, 1940. They moved to Tulsa, Okla., then Hastings, Neb., and settled in Lincoln, Neb., where they raised their family.

In 1958, the family moved to Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii. Some two years later, they moved back to the mainland and settled in California, living in Rossmoor, Costa Mesa and finally, Newport Beach.

Ruth married at 18 and was widowed at 49, so she spent much of her life as a single person. She had four careers, the first of which was raising three children. After they were grown, Ruth became a licensed practical nurse and worked at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, Calif., as a mental health nurse. She once met John Wayne in the halls there, as he was visiting.

Some years later, she earned her real estate license and worked for several years as a Realtor for Walker & Lee in Newport Beach.

After she was widowed, Ruth moved to St. Augustine, Fla., where she lived near her younger daughter, Patricia L. Styring, and her husband, Albert, for some 20 years. While in Florida, Ruth continued her fourth "career," which she had begun in California: She became an artist. Although she did not sell her paintings, Ruth created a large collection of beautiful oils, acrylics and especially water colors.

She was a member of the St. Augustine Art Association, exhibited her watercolors in its shows and served as a docent for the association. In addition, she conducted informal art lessons and group painting sessions in her home for friends who enjoyed painting or wanted to learn to paint.

When she was 80, Ruth moved to Overland Park, Kan., to be near her other daughter, Diane. Her declining health did not allow her to paint, but her lifelong love of little animals, especially dogs and cats, continued and, if anything, grew stronger.

Anna Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Dixie Laurette; her brother, Richard Byron; and her husband, Ralph.

She is survived by her three children, Diane Montgomery Deaton, Belton, Mo., James Eldon Peterson, Calif., and Patricia Lynn Styring, St. Augustine, Fla.; nine grandchildren, Rebecca Lynn Thompson, Leawood, Kan., Anthony Greg Wilson (Lamoura), Columbia, Mo., Wendelle Marie Kor (Joseph), Olathe, Kan., Deborah Ruth Styring, St. Augustine, Fla., Jennifer Lynn Causey (Brad), St. Augustine, Fla., Cynthia Sue Queen, Minnesota, Ryan Peterson and Adam Wesley Peterson, California, and Dustin Peterson, California. She also leaves 12 great-grandchildren, Carinne Marie Trompeter (Joel), Belton, Mo., Kelli Eva Thompson, Overland Park, Kan., Diane Elizabeth Bain (Christopher), Lenexa, Kan., Andrea Caprice Wilson, Lawrence, Kan., Emily Savannah Wilson and Nickolas Wilson, both of Columbia, Mo., Jason Kor, James Kor and Jenna Kor, all of Olathe, Kan., Zachary Causey and Delanie Causey, both of St. Augustine, Fla., and Mary Anna Saige Peterson, California. She also leaves one great-great-granddaughter, Addison Sophia Trompeter, Belton, Mo.

She will be missed by all her family, friends and the little animals she cared so much for all her life.

Arrangements handled by Pacific View Memorial Park, Corona Del Mar, Calif.