Martha Hedwig Peterson, 85, formerly of Emmons, died peacefully on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005, at the Veterans Home in Marshalltown, Iowa, where she had been a resident for several years.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at Silver Lake Lutheran Church, rural Northwood, with the Rev. Kevin Mackey officiating. Burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Albert Lea. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Mittelstadt Funeral Home in Lake Mills and one hour prior to the service at the church. Family has requested that memorials be directed to Silver Lake Lutheran Church.

Martha Hedwig Simon was born on June 18, 1920, in Walters, Minn., to Paul and Marie (Martin) Simon and raised in Walters. On May 1, 1938 she married Edward Gerber. On Aug. 11, 1953, she married Gilman Peterson. She spent her entire life as a devoted housewife and mother of six.

Martha enjoyed meeting people and loved to laugh. Some of her favorite pastimes were bingo, jigsaw puzzles, needlework, and her all-time favorite, a good game of &8220500;.&8221;

She was a longtime member of Silver Lake Lutheran Church and the Senior Citizens Center in Albert Lea.

Martha is survived by her six children;

Ervin (Mary) Gerber of Walters, Helen (David) McNary of Marshalltown, Iowa, Robert (Virginia) Peterson of Albert Lea, Gordon (Nancy) Peterson of Lake Mills, Merlyn Peterson of Albert Lea, and Darlene (Brian) Holdgrafer of Baudette, Minn. Also surviving are 10 grandchildren;

Amy (Patric) Pehrson,

Jean Baca,

Eric Gerber, Kerrie (Britt) Taul,

Edwin (Theresa) Schmidt, Christen (Terry) Bickel, Bryon (Michelle) Houlgrave, Bradon Peterson, Shannon Peterson and Jessica Ann Peterson; 17 great-grandchildren, one sister;

Mrs. Juanita (Elden) Beyer of Wells; one half-brother; Roger Simon of Sutter, Calif.; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents,

her husbands, step-mother Martha Wick, brother and sister-in-law Edwin (Margaret) Simon; sister and brother-in-law Alvesta (Norbert) Meyer; brother-in-law Elden Beyer; half-brother Joachim Simon, grandson Brandon Peterson, and grandson-in-law Mark Baca.