Ann Isabelle Peterson Pyle

Ann Peterson Pyle, age 100, of Storm Lake, Iowa died December 3, 2013 at Sunset Knoll Care and Rehab Center in Aurelia, Iowa. Ann Isabelle Simm Peterson Pyle was born February 24, 1913 in Paullina, IA. She was the youngest of 8 children born to William and Edna (LeVee) Simm who emigrated in 1882 from Kendal Selside, England. Ann attended and graduated from Paullina High School in 1929. She attended nurses training in Iowa City. She met her future husband when she came to Cherokee to be a domestic. On August 18, 1934 Ann was united in marriage to Carl Peterson in the family home in Paullina, IA. To this union one daughter and 5 sons were born. Ann and Carl first lived in Cherokee. In 1936 they moved to Storm Lake to establish the Peterson Motors Dealership. Ann was the consummate hostess hosting Buena Vista sorority teas and luncheons, card parties, dinner parties, and board meetings. She was the local, area, state, and regional presidents for the American Cancer Society, the Red Cross Heart Association and Toastmasters. She established the Storm Lake Toastmasters group. Ann was instrumental in creating the Upper Des Moines Opportunity and the Storm Lake Ministerial Association. In 1961 she and Carl added an indoor swimming pool to their house and until 1976 thousands of kids from northwest Iowa from church groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H groups, school groups, and school classes held swimming parties in her house. Knowing that a swim works up an appetite she served many brownies and homemade ice cream. Many a weekend one group of kids were going out the back door while the next group of swimmers entered the front door. Ann and Carl traveled extensively. A 4â€™ x 5â€™ photograph of Waikiki beach hung at the bottom of their stairs from the 1950â€™s â€“ and still there today. This picture was taken before any hotels were built - the beach was marked with only footprints. Carl and his barber, Jay Doane both claimed the footprints as their own. I think the photo was a gift from Jay. They traveled to Japan and Europe many times winning trips from Cadillac, Yamaha, and Honda. In addition, they made many trips to Duluth and Canada and visited most states. Annâ€™s favorite was to come up over the top of the pass into Duluth at night and see the valley, Lake Superior, and all the lights and boats. She did this long car ride many, many times since Carl found relief from his hay fever and asthma in Duluth. In the 1950â€™s Ann looked around and saw that other women were starting to establish careers for themselves outside the home. She attended beauty school â€œjust in caseâ€ although she never worked for pay outside her home. In addition to the organizations Ann was President of, Ann and Carl were supporters of Lakeside Presbyterian Church, Buena Vista University (then College), the Isaac Walton League, Friendly Town (of Des Moines) and numerous other organizations. Carl died in 1976. Having found a kindred soul who shared her love of dancing and the land, Ann married Harold Pyle at Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Storm Lake, IA on August 18, 1979. Together they danced and played at â€œAnnâ€™s Pastureâ€. They enlarged her already huge garden that had raspberries, strawberries, sweet corn and every vegetable. She planted somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 trees over the years and went through gallons of Round-Up every summer in her attack against thistles and dandelions. Ann and Harold thought they wanted animals and endured the trials of pigs, ducks, pigeons, and turkeys. Ann and Harold traveled as well, making many trips to the undeveloped region of Fiji visiting a son, traveling to Ireland, Mexico, and Belize w/ another son and his wife, lots of trips to Chicago to visit another son, and many other fun trips. Harold died in 1995. Ann sold her â€œin-town houseâ€ to her son, Rick and moved out to â€œAnnâ€™s Pastureâ€ full-time in 1989 at age 76. She spent the next 21 years happily nurturing her trees, planting her huge garden, and being the farm gal she always wanted to be. The long lane home was snowed in often and she needed to leave her Cadillac on the road and take a snowmobile the last mile, all of which only enhanced her love of her pasture. Ann continued to travel, visiting Cabos and Chicago many times. Her 91st birthday trip to Las Vegas was one of many travel highlights. She had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and that meant many family weddings and childrenâ€™s birthdays to attend in all corners of the globe. Ann was known for her healthy eating and exercising dating back to at least as early as 1930. Her plate always contained bright colors of healthy food. No one is sure where the sweet corn pancake idea came from, but most likely they were the result of her love of fresh sweet corn and desire to make something as unhealthy as pancakes healthier. She was an exercise fanatic doing 50 sit-ups every morning and another 50 sit-ups at night. She wore out many a grand or great-grandchild on trips to Fiji, Las Vegas, Yakima, Chicago, shopping, or working in the garden. She thought Curves was the best thing since sliced bread and has been in many a Curves across the country while visiting and traveling. At her 97th birthday she was full of stories of the Olympics and her favorites, she sure liked Apollo Ono. She was still â€œplayingâ€ at the pasture when she suffered a stroke at over age 97 in April of 2010. The stroke was her first need of regular medications and her first hospitalization other than having her children. She will always be remembered for her faith, her zeal of life and exercise, her sweet corn pancakes, homemade ice cream, â€œAnnâ€™s Pastureâ€ and her covered wagon. Left to cherish many fun memories are her children Janice Alderton of Storm Lake, Lee (Kay) of Yakima, WA, Bill (Diana) of Iowa City, Jim of New Zealand, Rick (Carol) of Storm Lake, and Paul of Storm Lake. Her 25 grandchildren that will always cherish getting to have the â€œcoolestâ€ grandma ever are (in age order) MaryBeth Calkins of Yakima, WA; Anne (Dave) Radke of Onawa, IA; Frank (Nancy) Alderton of Storm Lake, IA; Nancy (Pat) Wilson of Storm Lake; Lisa Rutherford of Yakima, WA; Mark Alderton of Phoenix, AZ; Lynn (Dean) Cuvelier of Cedar Falls, IA; Jim (Sandra) Peterson of Yakima; Daniel (Lisa) Alderton of Altadena, CA; Benjamin Alderton of Denver CO; Brent (Lora) Peterson of Milwaukee, WI; Molly (Michael) Kane of Yakima, WA; Kerris Browne of Rotorura, New Zealand; Leigh Ann (Andy) Barnett of Chicago, IL; Leah (Karl) Dykes of New Zealand; Jenelle (Alin) Peterson of Maui, HI; Tom (Hanh) Luong-Peterson of Katy, TX; Jacob Peterson of New Zealand; Olen (Mika) Peterson of Hiroshima, Japan; Erick Peterson of Chicago, IL; Michael Peterson of New Zealand; Maya Peterson of Houston, TX; Kelsey Peterson of Chicago; Brian Peterson of Chicago; and Sonya Peterson of Chicago, IL; she also had 26 great grandchildren and 7 great-great grandchildren. Ann was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands Carl Peterson and Harold Pyle, her brothers John, Willie, Richard, William, and James Simm, her sister Edna Frisbee, 2 grandchildren, Darrel John Alderton and Mark Andrew Peterson and many other cherished relatives. Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army. The family invites all that attend the service to attend a celebration of a full and long life and fellowship time immediately following the service.

Ann Isabelle Peterson Pyle

February 24, 1913 - December 3, 2013