Tenie L Peet

Tenie Peet died on May 5, 2009 in Fargo, ND. Tenie Lyla Matala was born on February 15, 1911, in Eveleth, MN to Finnish immigrants. Her family moved to a farm and Tenie attended rural grade school and graduated from Eveleth High School at the age of 16. In 1928, Tenie took a year of Normal Training in Eveleth and began her teaching career in a rural school at Wolf Lake in Becker County. In 1929 she went to Duluth State Teachers College to earn a two-year diploma. From 1930 to 1938, she taught in the St. Louis County rural school system at Brimson, Melrude, Iron, Vermilion, Alborn, Embarrass and Forbes. On January 15, 1938, she married Theodore F. Peet and moved to rural Wolverton, MN in the Red River Valley where she helped establish a home in which she raised five children. She was a nurturing, warm and generous person to family and community; her work was never done. Tenie was Wilkin County Chairwoman and Seventh District Secretary of the Republican Party and a member of the Fine Arts Club in Fargo, ND and the Barnesville Literary League. She was an active member of the Deerhorn Presbyterian Church and the Moorhead First Presbyterian Church. Her affiliations included Kings Daughters, Homemakers Club, 4-H Club, and Farm Bureau. Until the summer of 2008, she worked with the Giving and Learning Program teaching English proficiency to college students. She received the Francis Erickson and Red River Valley Farmer and Homemaker awards. In 2006 she was honored in the Salute to Moms Celebration. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Theodore F. Peet; son Daniel; brothers Walfred and Walter, and parents, John Viktor and Ida Marian Matala. She is survived by her children Peggy Watson, Wayzata, MN (Dr. Gordon Doering); Dr. Walter Peet, Billings, MT (Mary); Dr. Norton Peet (Patricia), North Andover, MA; and Linda Bowie (John), Rochester, MN; nine grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. We are thankful for the loving care our beloved mother received from the staffs of Riverview Place, Elim Care Center, and Hospice of the Red River Valley. We are grateful to her loyal friends and helpers Cynthia Sillers and Michael Peet. Visitation will be at Riverview Place, 5300 12th Street South, Fargo, ND, from 5-7PM on Friday, May 8. The funeral service will be conducted at the First Presbyterian Church in Moorhead, MN at 10AM on Saturday, May 10. Interment will follow at the Deerhorn Cemetery in Wilkin County. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Hospice of the Red River Valley or the YWCA.