Agnes Peterson Schaller

Agnes Woods Peterson was born on February 28, 1924 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Many of her happiest memories took place in the Great Smoky Mountains near her home. Family trips, church camps and Girl Scouts provided frequent times of hiking and camping in her beloved mountains. Agnes graduated with a BA from Maryville College in Tennessee in 1945. She continued as a graduate student at Vanderbilt University. On July 4th, 1945 she met a handsome young man in uniform at a picnic in the park. Just over a year later, Agnes and Lyle Schaller were married and moved to Lyle's home state of Wisconsin. She taught at the University of Wisconsin in order to support her new husband as he went to school on the GI Bill. She received her Masters in physiology from the U of W in 1949. Their first child was born that year and by 1964 their family had increased to six children. They moved to Naperville, Illinois in 1968, their home for 44 years. Her volunteer history included many years as a creative Sunday School teacher and superintendent. For over two decades, she volunteered at Katherine Manor, an apartment complex for physically disabled people, and started a volunteer program there that continued long after she retired. Drawing on her volunteer experiences, she co-authored the book Never Too Old to Have Fun: Seasonal Parties for Seasoned Citizens. In 2012, Agnes and Lyle moved to Oklahoma City to be near their daughter and son-in-law. Lyle preceded Agnes in death in 2015. A longtime friend summarized her life with these words; "Agnes was the truest person, the most dedicated Christian woman we ever knew." Agnes is survived by her brother Arthur (Brazil), sons Walter (Lubbock, Texas), Sasha Alyson (Luang Prabang, Laos); Bruce (Brooklyn); and David (St. Paul, Minn.); and daughters Rebecca and Elia Woods (both of Oklahoma City); and five grandchildren.