Elizabeth Mary (Stoderl) Peterson was born on Sunday, April 2, 1893 and passed away on Saturday, May 29th, 1954. She was my grandmother; we called her Granny. She married my grandfather, Andrew John Peterson, on Monday, January 30, 1911 in Brown County, Aberdeen, SD. The Minister's name was M. McDermody. (Marriage Records show Granny's birth year as 1891).

They adopted my Mother, Andrena, in Aberdeen, SD, when she was just an infant. My Mother told me wonderful stories about my Grandparents. It broke her heart when her Dad passed away on April 20, 1939; my Mom was only 15 years old. She missed him dearly and talked about him often.

After my grandfather passed away, Granny moved to Chicago and worked as a Nurse at Cook County Hospital. Then she decided to take a train to California while my Mom remained with friends. On the way to California, Granny got off the train in Phoenix and decided that's where she wanted to live so she sent for my Mom. It sounds like she was a pretty independent woman back in the 1940's.

She worked at the Phoenix Indian Hospital on Indian School Road and Central Avenue. Even though she was a good nurse she also tried her hand at managing restaurants, hotels and even a candy store. She owned and managed the Ambassador Hotel on Washington Street in downtown Phoenix. That is where my Mom met my Dad; they were married May 5, 1947.

She had bought investment property that included a 2 bedroom home, a duplex and a wash house on an acre of land that had room for trailers.

My Dad was a carpenter and had helped repair the duplex roof and do general maintenance from time to time.

When Granny found out she had leukemia; my parents moved in with her. I was just three years old at the time. I remember riding on a bus with my Mom and my brothers to visit her. Even though she had been at other clinics and had gone to Needles, California, she died at Maricopa County General Hospital.

I was only 6 years old when she passed away; I remember seeing my Mom cry and asked her what happened? She told me Granny went to see Jesus. At Hansen's Mortuary, my Mom bought a red rosary and put it in Granny's hands. I remember a black hearse and going to her funeral. There were a lot of people there.

She was a good person who worked hard. I remember one Christmas she gave me a red purse that had candy and coins in it. She also bought me a little chair from the furniture store.

I wish I could have spent more time with her before she passed away. She did not have a gravemarker for years; I decided to buy one for her and contacted St. Francis Cemetery. She is just walking distance from where my son, Christopher McDaniel, is buried.

Granny, thank you for being a part of my life; I am glad I still have good memories of you.

The cemetery records indicate her birth and death dates as 1900 to 1954, however, its believed her birth date was April 2, 1891. Her name is spelled Stoderel on the Census records and her marriage certificate; however, her father's name was listed as Stoderl.

My Mom was surprised that the dates were different? She said she thinks it was because she was trying to get a job as a Nurse and was afraid age might hold her back.