April 17, 2026

Linn County News

Published April 22, 2026

Velma Fay (Cline) Peterson was born to Roy Albert and Lucy Edith Marie (Brown) Cline on April 29, 1944. She was born on the Kansas side of the State Line Road on a little farm called The Star Dairy. The farm is east of Pleasanton.

The family moved to Prescott, where Velma started school. She attended Prescott schools for nine years; the family then moved to Mound City, where Velma went for three years and finished school. She met Jerry Peterson when they moved to Mound City in 1959, and they went together all through high school. She always bragged about getting her MRS degree at MCHS. She married her best friend and the love of her life on Dec. 24, 1961, at the First Baptist Church in Mound City. Jerry and Velma were baptized on Oct. 4, 1971. 

They had three children: Paula Beckman (Rande), Pam Peters (Marvin), and Burt Peterson (Mackenzie). They had seven grandchildren: Josh Landrum (Amanda), Jason Landrum, Rachel Schmidt, Brayton Beckman (Kim), Brant Beckman, Russell Peterson, and Elijah Peterson. They were also blessed with six great-grandchildren: Holden Beckman, Hudson Beckman, Cadence Landrum, Lily Landrum, Lucas Schmidt, and Colin Schmidt. Velma and Jerry also helped raise Kelly Peterson and he was like a son to them both. 

Anyone who knew Velma knew she was deathly afraid of mice! She had been known to avoid them at any cost, be it sleeping on a dresser or staying awake until the mouse had been caught. Legend even has it that while cleaning pecans, she once used super-human strength to escape a mouse attack by picking up a 6’ tall man, shaking him “like a ragdoll,” and demanding he get out of her way. She was also known for her high-fashion ‘mouse protectors,’ always safely tucked away in her purse to ward off any potential evil critter attacks. (Some of you know what she really called them.)

Linnville Friendly Circle Club was near and dear to Velma’s heart. She truly embraced what it meant to be a community member and took great pride in the club keeping the Linnville Schoolhouse up and running. One of her favorite memories of the club was hosting the local fifth-grade classes and teaching them to tack a quilt. You could hardly ever go to her house that she wasn’t working on pillowcases so that each student would go home with something special. She was honored to keep this tradition for her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. 

Words cannot express how much value Velma put on her family and friends. No matter what she was busy with, she would drop everything to help anyone. She believed that joy was best experienced when sharing it with others. She always had time to share a story or listen to what was going on in your life. Because of this, her family values were visible to everyone, and she built friendships far and wide. Although she did travel a bit in her last few years, there was always a celebration at the Linn County line. She truly believed there is no place as beautiful as the farm she and Jerry built into a home. Velma would tell all of you to value your family and spend time with them, truly, you never know how much time you have left. 

Velma was preceded in death by one daughter, Paula Fay (Peterson) Beckman; one grandson, Branton Beckman; one sister, Ruby Matlock; two brothers, Cecil Ferris and Charles Cline; and her parents, Roy and Lucy Cline. Velma is survived by her husband of 64 years, Jerry Peterson; one daughter, Pam Peters; one son, Burt Peterson; and two sisters, Erma Bauer and Betty Jessip.

Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the Mound City Christian Church. Burial will be in the Linnville Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to service time at the Church. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Linnville Friendly Circle. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.