Annamarie Jane Peterson

Annamarie Jane Peterson passed away on Thursday, November 26, 2020 at Cottagewood in Rochester, MN with Tina and Chicki by her side. Born in Eveleth, MN on August 9, 1936 to Martin and Agnes (Nyfors) Brown, Annamarie graduated from Aurora High School in 1954. She married Carl Dewane Peterson in Kassel, Germany in 1955 and in their union had three children: Tina, Karin "Chicki" and Carl. They later divorced. While raising her children, Annamarie completed her Health Information Management Degree at St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. She was the Supervisor of the Health Information Department at Miller Dwan Hospital, retiring in 2001. Annamarie was a strong independent woman with many talents. She bought and renovated The Depot Campground in Knife River. After selling the campground she went on to build her dream home in Larsmont, MN and start a new chapter of her life. Annamarie was a member of the North Shore Rotary Club, becoming a Paul Harris Fellow. She was a member of the United Church of Two Harbors, served on the council, and looked forward to the Annual Holiday Luncheon and Cookie Sale. She loved to cook, knit and sew. In November 2012 Annamarie suffered a grand mal seizure while visiting her sister in NYC. She was eventually diagnosed with Primary Central Nervous System Angiitis at the Mayo Clinic, by Dr. Claudia Lucchinetti. This rare form of vasculitis eventually led to vascular dementia. Annamarie moved to Cottagewood Memory Care in Rochester, MN in 2016. She was an active and loved member of their community and we are so grateful for the wonderful staff in Cottage 3. She will always be remembered for her smile that would light up the room and her sparkling blue eyes. She had a can-do attitude that would never quit, often saying "The impossible only takes a little longer," with her twinkling blue eyes. She is survived by her daughters and their husbands, Tina Trihey (Dwight Porter) of Oronoco and Karin (Steve) Harris of Knife River, MN; three grandchildren, Jason Trihey (Casey Wilson) of Rochester, Carly (Erik) Loewen of Minneapolis, and Brandon Cerra, Florida; two siblings, Marcia Brown of New York City, NY and Mark (Sue) Brown of Shakopee, MN; niece Sara Brown (Rob) Zembrodt and nephew Mark Brown and 2 great nephews and 2 great nieces. Nancy Johnson, Annamarie's best friend since high school and Tina's Godmother, died a few hours after Annamarie's passing from injuries she received in a tragic multi-car accident on 11/23/20. We know Nancy and Annamarie are together again and that brings us great comfort. She was preceded in death by her parents and son, Carl Frederick Peterson. A Celebration of Annamarie's life will be held in the spring in Knife River, MN. Memorials to The United Church of Two Harbors http://ucth.org/ . The Alzheimer's Assoc. https://www.alz.org or a charity of your choice. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Peterson family; to share a special memory or condolence please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com