Margaret M. White's Obituary
Margaret M. White, born September 24, 1917, in Woonsocket, South Dakota; passed away suddenly on February 20, 2009, in Ashburn, VA. Margaret attended the Slack School in Twin Lake Township, SD, graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1938, and attended Mankato Business College, Mankato, MN for one and a half years. While in Mankato, she met her future husband, Dean S. Peterson. They were joined in holy matrimony on August 10, 1942, and were married for 19 years until Dean’s passing in 1961. In 1948, Margaret and Dean moved to Clinton, MD, where Margaret was employed as an administrative assistant by the Prince George’s County Board of Education, Upper Marlboro, MD. Their union was blessed by the adoption of two children, Clifford Evan (Pete) Peterson and Cheryl Ann Peterson Whetsel. Margaret married Walter R. White of Maryland and eventually settled in Peoria, AZ. They enjoyed 31 years of marriage until his death in 1992. She had been living with her daughter, Cheryl, and son-in-law, Robert M. Whetsel since 1997, and moved to Ashburn in 1999. Margaret was highly regarded for her praying spirit, kindness, generosity, moral leadership, and dedication to God and her church and extended family. In addition to being a loving wife, devoted sister and servant of God, Margaret was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose spirit will be greatly missed by those she touched.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Henry Jergen and Anna Caroline Schroeder Johansen, husbands Dean S. Peterson and Walter R. White, and five brothers and five sisters. She was the last surviving sibling of eleven children.
Margaret is survived by her son, Pete Peterson, daughter Cheryl Peterson Whetsel, daughter-in-law, Nancy Peterson, and son-in-law, Rob Whetsel all of Ashburn, VA; four grandchildren (Curt, Brian, Kate, and Emily), one great-grandchild (Cray), and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends
Interment will be at 1:00pm in Arlington National Cemetery on Friday, February 6, 2009.
What’s your fondest memory of Margaret M.?
What’s a lesson you learned from Margaret M.?
Share a story where Margaret M.'s kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Margaret M. you’ll never forget.
How did Margaret M. make you smile?