Obituary: Bernice Farnsworth Peterson, Los Altos Resident

Bernice Farnsworth Peterson, wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

Bernice was born in Manti, Utah, and grew up in Salt Lake City where she attended Hamilton Elementary School, Lincoln Jr. High, and graduated from South High. She attended L.D.S. Business College for one year and studied Vocal at the McCune School of Music.

When World War II broke out, she was working with the American Legion and Police Department. This started her career as a secretary. During the war, the Presidio of San Francisco moved to Salt Lake City and Bernice became one of their youngest employees.

When the war ended, Bernice was working as a secretary and receptionist for the Cadillac and Pontiac dealer in Salt Lake. She met her husband Bob Peterson at this time and they were married in 1947. They had two daughters, Karen and Sue Ann.

In 1955 Bernice and Bob moved to Palo Alto, California, where Bernice became involved in the LDS Palo Alto Second Ward. She had numerous church callings, teacher, secretary to the ward, President of the Primary and President of the MIA.
Her love of the youth made each of these calling very special.

In 1971 the family moved to Los Altos where Bernice became involved in the Los Altos Ward.

Bernice felt that the biggest gift in her life would be to serve others. She was secretary to the Stake Presidents Don Hull and Larry Hansen for 18 years.

She continued her passion for singing when she was blessed to be invited to join the the Los Altones. They gave concerts and Bernice loved that her friends and family would come share with her the music that she loved so much.

Bernice had many hobbies including golf, cooking, reading, and traveling. In her own words she said, "just living" is my greatest hobby.

She was involved in numerous activities outside of the church. She served as President of the South Palo Alto Lions Club Auxiliary for two years, and
Vice President and Project Chairman for the Junior Chamber of Commerce of Palo Alto.

Bernice was also PTA President of her daughters elementary school Loma Vista.

Bernice was all about her family. She loved her husband, her daughters and their husbands, and her two grandsons, Chris and Michael. Her favorite time of year was Christmas. She would start shopping for gifts in June and would panic if everything wasn't bought by September. Of course, she still had three months left until Christmas so there was plenty of time to keep shopping for the perfect gifts she forgot to buy. Her face would light up as the family gathered around the Christmas Tree opening their hand picked gifts that she so lovingly bought.

Bernice never missed sending a card for a friend's birthday, a holiday, or just a thank you for something they had done. Her love of people and her devotion to her friends was one of the qualities her family admired the most.

From her Palo Alto Ward luncheon group, to her hairdressers, to her friends and family, the table was always elegantly set for a luncheon or dinner party. Her organizational skills were admired by everyone who knew her. When Bernice set out to do something, she did it with her heart and soul, and it it was done to perfection.

In Bernice's own words, "I feel that if I can be but a good wife and mother, if I can live close to my religion and have my testimony grow and develop and if I can serve my fellow men where I can, then I shall feel that I have been truly blessed."

This obituary has been provided courtesy of the Cusimano Family Colonial Mortuary.