Vida M. Peterson, 77, Minot, formerly of the Sawyer area, died Tuesday, March 24, 2010 in a Minot Hospital.

Vida was born November 11, 1932 at Velva, North Dakota the daughter of William and Louise (Fryer) Heizelman. She was raised on the family farm near Velva and educated at country schools in that area.

During her younger years, Vida assisted with the operation of the family farm prior to her marriage to Myron Peterson on July 3, 1955 at Sawyer.

They made their home in Fargo, Dickinson, Hazen, Killdeer, Alaska and Montana, while Myron was employed as a plumber and civil service worker. They moved to Minot in 1964, where Vida was employed as the manager of the Shirley Room Café in the Midwest Federal Bank Building from 1975-1979. She retired in 1979 and babysat for her grandchildren. Myron died February 11, 2004.

Vida was a member of Bible Fellowship Church, Minot, where she played the accordion and sang in the Church choir. She was a member of the Women's Circle group, Quilt Auction Relief group and Mennonite Brothers Mission group. Vida enjoyed quilting, sewing, painting, along with playing the piano, organ and accordion, which she learned to play by ear. She enjoyed her morning coffee with "the girls" at Charlie's Café.

Her loving family includes : children, Brenda Smith, Minot, Jolene Johnson, Bismarck and Glen Peterson, Minot; grandchildren, Amber, Katrina & Davin Johnson, Jason & Justin Peterson; great-grandchildren, Keegan & Dane Richardson, Dimitri Johnson, Arrianna & Ronan Miller and Lucas Peterson ; sisters, Geraldine (Leo) Schafer, Minot, Bernice Faul, Harvey, Verla Faul, Harvey, Jennell (Marvin) Heizelman, Minot, Dennis (GeorgeAnn) Schafer, Deleware; brother, Jerry (Sharon) Heizelman, Minot.

Vida was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son-in-law, Mark Smith and step-brother, Arlo Schafer.

Funeral service : Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. in Bible Fellowship Mennonite Church, Minot
Interment: Sawyer Mennonite Brethren Cemetery, Rural Sawyer, ND, later in the spring
Visitation: Friday from 1:00-6:00pm in the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot
Memorials are preferred to Gideon's International.