Pauline OMeara Petterson

Pauline Leona (Penny) Petterson was born Dec. 12, 1921 in Ireton, Iowa, the youngest daughter of James Edward and Joanna (Downs) OMeara. She was the 15th child of 16 children and born 3 minutes after her twin brother Paul Leo OMeara who preceded her in death July 21, 1994. Pauline graduated from Hawarden High School in 1939 (she attended the all class reunion September 2004). She met Conrad Neil (Pete) Petterson at a party and they married December 17th, 1947. He preceded her in death November 7, 1985. In 1942, Pauline worked for Culver Aircraft Company (a war factory) in Wichita, Kansas. She worked in final assembly and remained friends for life with 3 of her coworkers. They called themselves the “Culver Girls”. She went on to teach 5th and 6th grade at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the 1960s. Pauline volunteered at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, Wichita, Kansas in surgery waiting for 20 years (1984 - 2004) and had the honor of serving as Chairman from 1989 to 2004. Most of Paulines life was lived in Wichita, Kansas where she was a member of All Saints Catholic Church for 30 years, a member of Catholic Widows, the Altar Society, and the Auxiliary. In her former years she was active in PTA and served on the Wichita Election Committee. Survivors include 4 children, daughter Barbara Mallot husband Richard of Loveland, CO, daughter Marilyn Mahnke of Overland Park, KS, son Bill Petterson wife Diana of Northglenn, CO, daughter Ginger Summers husband Daniel of Golden, CO and a sister Catherine LaVelle of Sioux City, IA, 7 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Pauline was preceded in death by seven sisters, Durette Ney, Eva Conway, Bess Leonberger, Irene Graff, Cecelia Goergen, Helen Dunkeson, and Josephine Bandy and seven OMeara brothers, Leonard, Francis, Clint, Mike, John, her twin Paul and Robert. Pauline enjoyed tending flowers, feeding the birds and visiting with her neighbors. She liked receiving and sending jokes, saving spiritual clippings and newspaper articles, attending bible study classes and travelling on “Village Travel Tours”. The funeral visitation will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, October 7th followed by the funeral service at 10:00 at All Saints Catholic Church at 3313 E. Grand St. Wichita, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, donations to Via Christi “Partners in Caring” at 1156 S. Clifton St. Wichita, Ks 67218 would be appreciated.