Joan Meredith Petersen

Joan Meredith (Eckerman) Petersen, 82, passed away on August 7, 2017, at Hillview Care Center, surrounded by family, after a long, courageous battle with Congestive Heart Failure. Joan was born May 18, 1935 in Superior, Wisconsin to Helen E. (Johnson) Eckerman and Gunnar K. Eckerman. She attended Superior Grade Schools, Central High School, and took various music credits at the local college. She taught piano and accordion at Bramann Music Studios and Duluth Studios, in addition to performing and teaching in various venues throughout the area. In September of 1955, Joan married her high school sweetheart.  A decade later, Joan and Richard (Dick) moved to Bemidji, MN and tried their hand at the motel life. For 3 1/2 years, they owned and operated The Bel-Air Motel. After selling the business, they moved to La Crosse, WI where they enjoyed watching their daughter and grandchildren grow up. Joan continued to teach piano out of the home until her 80th birthday.  Joan lived her life in the service of others, whether it be teaching hundreds of hands to play the ivory keys, or preparing a meal for her family every Sunday night. Her passions in life were animals, music, and of course her family. In all her years, she never missed a single band performance, hockey game, or theatrical production. She was a fiercely loving wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend.  Joan is survived by her loving husband, Richard Petersen of La Crosse, her only child Karen Raifsnider of Onalaska, her granddaughter Kalynn (Tyler) Krueger of Onalaska, several cousins including Tore ( Noon) Berg of Halden, Norway, and her constant companion and four-legged nurse, Luna. She is preceded in death by her parents, Helen and Gunnar, and her only grandson, Kristoffer Raifsnider. Funeral services will be held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 420 West Ave. So., La Crosse, WI at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 12. A luncheon will follow the services at the church. Friends and family may call from 10:00 am until the time of service on Saturday at the church. Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Paul's or The Coulee Region Humane Society.  Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services of La Crosse is assisting the family. Special thanks to Dr. Joan Matey, a lifelong friend and advisor, and the wonderful staff at Hillview Care Center for treating Joan like family. Also, thank you to all of Joan's friends who filled her life with joy, even in the last days. "Music gives a soul to the Universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything." -Plato