Karol Peterson

Karol Kay Kern Kendall Peterson was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend.  She passed away from complications after surgery on Dec. 20, 2022 at the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.  She is survived by three daughters: Kim Kendall of Gurnee, IL; Kelly (Craig) Freeman of Jefferson; Kristi (Peter) Herbrand of Gurnee, IL; grandchildren: Tori (Chris) Mikels, Lexi (Anthony Garcia) Patton, Jake Herbrand, Kendall Freeman and Shvanta Freeman; great grandchildren: Tristan and Evelyn Mikels; sister, Madonna Louk of Missouri; brother, Wayne Kern of Iowa; and sister, Beverly Pelz of Minnesota; other relatives and friends. 

Karol was born to Arthur “Bob” and Francis Kern on Sept. 29, 1938 in Humboldt. She married Arlie Kendall on June 26, 1955 and they went on to have four children: Klayton, Kim, Kelly and Kristi.  Karol and Arlie ran a variety of businesses in their life together, including The Down and Out, the Pester Derby gas station and Angler’s Den bait shop.  Arlie passed away in 1983.

In 1984 Karol became reacquainted with Jack Peterson, whom she had known as a teenager. They married on Nov. 21, 1984.  Together they farmed north of Jefferson, which she enjoyed very much. During this time she worked at The Co-op in Jefferson, weighing the semis and enjoying the banter with all the farmers. In addition to farming, they managed the Phillips 66 Station. Many weekends were spent camping at Spring Lake in their fifth wheel.  

During this time Karol’s first two grandchildren, Tori and Lexi, were born. They loved spending time with their grandmother, both on the farm and at the lake. A cute story that Karol liked to tell was when Tori was four years old, she asked Grandma if she was old. Grandma told her she was older, and Tori said that was okay – when she died she would just get a new grandma. 

Karol was widowed for the second time in December of 1998. The next few years brought a lot of changes, including the birth of a third grandchild, Jake, in 2004. Her family continued to grow when her daughter Kelly and Craig adopted Kendall and Shvanta in 2018.  Her great grandchildren, Tristan and Evelyn, arrived in 2017 and 2019. 

Karol absolutely loved the time she spent with her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, and her adopted grandchildren, Michael and Taylor Ross. She spoiled them all and in the words of one, ¨she was the grandma who would sneak you dessert before dinner.”   

Many knew Karol for her sense of humor and her smile. She was a friend to all and much more than that to her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bob and Frances Kern of Algonquin, Iowa; two husbands - Arlie Kendall and Jack Peterson, both of Jefferson; one sister, Corinne Dremmel of Dubuque; one brother, Paul Kern of Webster City; and one son, Klayton Kendall of Jefferson. 

Celebration of life was held Dec. 27 at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home. A memorial gathering was held after the service at The Elks Lodge in Jefferson. Interment will be held at a later date at the Jefferson Cemetery.