Lori Ellen Schulstad-Peterson was born May 7, 1955, in Detroit Lakes, MN to Bernice (Berg) and Eugene Schulstad. She attended school in Hawley, MN and graduated in 1973. She went to college at Moorhead State with degrees in Elementary and Special Education. While attending college, she formed great lifelong friendships with her sorority sisters of Alpha Phi. Her career in education began in Thief River Falls as a special education teacher. In years to follow she taught education in Mahnomen, Butterfield, New York Mills, Detroit Lakes, and Perham, MN. Before retiring, she spent her final nine years of teaching at Circle of Life in White Earth, MN.

On May 26, 1979, Lori married Verne Peterson. They shared 42 years of marriage together and were blessed with 3 beautiful children: Trinessa, Taylen, and Tiffany. Lori devoted her life to children and education through teaching, Head Start program, daycare, foster care, 4-H, and recently her own grandchildren, making sure they are reading every day and practicing their writing. She was immensely proud of her children and everyone’s biggest cheerleader including her nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.

Besides teaching, Lori had many other passions and enjoyed life in the sun! Taking a boat ride, because it was going to snow tomorrow, working at her Shady Hollow flea market shop in one of her many fun dresses, or dancing outside to live music in her red cowboy boots were just a few. Lori was very colorful and never left the house without ‘slapping a little lipstick on.' She loved to travel and enjoyed visiting her second home in Mesa, AZ where she created beautiful quilts and formed new friendships. She dressed up for all occasions, especially Halloween, with the most extravagant costumes. Lori loved capturing memories through photos and spent countless hours creating scrapbooks for all to enjoy. She had a natural talent for taking the old and refurbishing it into something new—with her trademark splash of color.

Lori is survived by Verne Peterson; her three children, Trinessa (Chad) Spanswick of Alexandria, MN, Taylen Peterson (Sarah Woods) of Sacramento, CA, Tiffany (Brandon) Jordan of Bismarck, ND; 8 grandchildren, Stone, Sophie, Violet, Greyson, Griffin, Ainsley, Brock and Georgia; 6 siblings, Beverly (Bob) Imhoff, Gene (Linda) Schulstad, Becky Ode, Diane (Tony) Passanante, Paul Schulstad, and Joyce (Alan) Newton; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and of course her beloved dog, Romeo.

She is preceded in death by her father, Eugene; mother, Bernice; step-father, Roland Olson; and brother-in-laws Bud Ode and Donald Peterson.

#iwearlipstickforlori