May Pedersen was born in North Jylland, Denmark, August 8, 1866, she came to America with her parents in 1880, arriving in Grand Island on her fourteenth birthday and the next day came to Howard county and the first few years her home was here.
December 13, 1896 she was married to Mr. Anton C. Petersen at Creighton, Nebr. where they lived until January 1905 when they moved here onto their farm five miles west of town. The next year they sold the farm and moved back to Creighton where Mr. Petersen bought a laundry and since that time he has been in the laundry business continually, at various places, either as owner or general manager of large laundries, the last three years at Waterloo, Iowa.
Mrs. Petersen had not been well for some time, but she was able to do her housework and her condition was not considered dangerous until a day or two before her death, it was decided to have an operation for appendicitis and other ailments.
She was taken to the Presbyterian hospital Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning at 7 oclock she was placed on the operating table, she did not regain consciousness and died a few minutes after being removed from the table, internal bleeding being the direct cause of her death. Three of the best doctors in Waterloo were in attendance and did all that possibly could be done for her, but they were powerless in their efforts.
Mr. Petersen at once had her prepared for burial, leaving there that night, arriving here Thursday afternoon where she was taken to her parents' home and remained there until the time of the funeral Friday afternoon.
Although Mr. and Mrs. Petersen had been away from here for some time the funeral was very largely attended.
Mrs. Petersen was a member in good standing of the Creighton camp of Royal Neighbors and the members of the Dannebrog camp attended the funeral. We have never seen as many or a more beautiful display of flowers at a funeral than were here, the most beautiful of which were sent by proprietors and employees of the Waterloo laundry and other friends at Waterloo, those from the Royal Neighbors, relatives and friends here were also beautiful.
Besides her husband Mrs. Petersen leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peder Pedersen here, two sisters, Mrs. Ludvig Petersen at Nysted and Mrs. Ed Lauritsen, Cleveland precinct; two brothers, Niels C., Green River, Wyo, and Peter N., Cleveland precinct, besides a number of cousins and other relatives who deeply mourn her loss, and a large number of friends who extend sympathy to the bereaved husband, parents and other relatives.
Mrs. Petersen, who was a cousin of ye editor and the wife of our half brother, was well known to us and we know that she was a kind, loving and affectionate wife, daughter and sister, a good friend and a true lady in every respect.
The Dannebrog News, August 28, 1913, page 1, transcribed by Linda Berney
The "editor" was Peter Sixhoi Petersen of Dannebrog, Nebraska.
NOTE: Maren, "May" was first married to William Perry Dechant. They had two children, John Silas Dechant and Clara Louise (Dechant) Landrum.
Clara Louise was adopted by Eugene S., memorial# 34022697 and Mary Delila (Beall) Norris, memorial# 28798788 . They had no biological children.
Clara Louise's biological parents were William Perry DeChant #113869505 and Maren (Pedersen) Petersen #23149317.
May Pedersen was born in North Jylland, Denmark, August 8, 1866, she came to America with her parents in 1880, arriving in Grand Island on her fourteenth birthday and the next day came to Howard county and the first few years her home was here.
December 13, 1896 she was married to Mr. Anton C. Petersen at Creighton, Nebr. where they lived until January 1905 when they moved here onto their farm five miles west of town. The next year they sold the farm and moved back to Creighton where Mr. Petersen bought a laundry and since that time he has been in the laundry business continually, at various places, either as owner or general manager of large laundries, the last three years at Waterloo, Iowa.
Mrs. Petersen had not been well for some time, but she was able to do her housework and her condition was not considered dangerous until a day or two before her death, it was decided to have an operation for appendicitis and other ailments.
She was taken to the Presbyterian hospital Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning at 7 oclock she was placed on the operating table, she did not regain consciousness and died a few minutes after being removed from the table, internal bleeding being the direct cause of her death. Three of the best doctors in Waterloo were in attendance and did all that possibly could be done for her, but they were powerless in their efforts.
Mr. Petersen at once had her prepared for burial, leaving there that night, arriving here Thursday afternoon where she was taken to her parents' home and remained there until the time of the funeral Friday afternoon.
Although Mr. and Mrs. Petersen had been away from here for some time the funeral was very largely attended.
Mrs. Petersen was a member in good standing of the Creighton camp of Royal Neighbors and the members of the Dannebrog camp attended the funeral. We have never seen as many or a more beautiful display of flowers at a funeral than were here, the most beautiful of which were sent by proprietors and employees of the Waterloo laundry and other friends at Waterloo, those from the Royal Neighbors, relatives and friends here were also beautiful.
Besides her husband Mrs. Petersen leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peder Pedersen here, two sisters, Mrs. Ludvig Petersen at Nysted and Mrs. Ed Lauritsen, Cleveland precinct; two brothers, Niels C., Green River, Wyo, and Peter N., Cleveland precinct, besides a number of cousins and other relatives who deeply mourn her loss, and a large number of friends who extend sympathy to the bereaved husband, parents and other relatives.
Mrs. Petersen, who was a cousin of ye editor and the wife of our half brother, was well known to us and we know that she was a kind, loving and affectionate wife, daughter and sister, a good friend and a true lady in every respect.
The Dannebrog News, August 28, 1913, page 1, transcribed by Linda Berney
The "editor" was Peter Sixhoi Petersen of Dannebrog, Nebraska.
NOTE: Maren, "May" was first married to William Perry Dechant. They had two children, John Silas Dechant and Clara Louise (Dechant) Landrum.
Clara Louise was adopted by Eugene S., memorial# 34022697 and Mary Delila (Beall) Norris, memorial# 28798788 . They had no biological children.
Clara Louise's biological parents were William Perry DeChant #113869505 and Maren (Pedersen) Petersen #23149317.
Inscription
The bottom of May's headstone is inscribed as follows:
John Silas Duchant
Oct 4 1883 - Jul 5 1904
Son
John was Maren's (May's) son, who after his death was buried at Winnetoon Cemetery. In Oct of 1914 Anton Petersen, John's stepfather, exhumed John's body and had him buried next to his mother at Oakridge Cemetery in Dannebrog. She had died a few weeks earlier. This information was found in the Creighton Nebraska News from Oct 9, 1914.
It was previously believed that he was buried at Winnetoon and the inscription on his mother's stone was only there as a memorial to him.
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