Florence J. Samuelson

Florence Jane Samuelson, age 86, of St. Peter, died Saturday, December 5, 2015, at the Benedictine Living Community in St. Peter, surrounded by her family.

Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 12, 2015 at First Lutheran Church, St. Peter. Visitation will be two hours before service on Saturday at the church. Interment will be in Greenhill Cemetery, St. Peter. St. Peter Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Florence was born August 16, 1929 to Emil and Theresia (Neidecker) Wies in Rush River, Sibley County, Minnesota. The youngest of nine daughters she grew up in a small farm house on the family farm. She was baptized at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in New Ulm and confirmed at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Henderson. Florence attended country school at Rush River and Sand Prairie and high school at LeSueur and Henderson. She was united in marriage to Clarence Oscar Samuelson on October 12, 1946 at First Lutheran Church in St. Peter. She was a homemaker for her family for many years and then became employed with the St. Peter Schools in food service where she worked for 27 years until retiring. Florence enjoyed walking, riding bike, writing letters to family and friends, baking holiday cookies, making quilts, and going for coffee at the Dairy Queen and McDonalds. Her family was her pride and she cherished her time with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Florence is survived by two daughters, Mary Ann Kotasek of LeSueur, Barb Samuelson of St. Peter; two sons, Pat (Suzy) Samuelson of Becker and Tim (Karla) Samuelson of St. Peter; grandchildren, Lisa (Chris Tupa) Battcher of LeSueur, John (Michelle) Kotasek of LeSueur, Julie Ann (Pat) Callahan of LeCenter, Paul Kotasek of LeSueur, Johanna (Sean) Dawson of Mandaree, ND, Nicolette Samuelson of Mayer, Brianna and Dylan Samuelson of St. Peter; great-grandchildren, Trent Kotasek of St. Peter, Jesse Battcher of Mankato, Kaitlyn Battcher of LeSueur, Kylee Battcher of Madison Lake, Dustin, Tyler, and Jayden Kotasek of LeSueur, Michael (Sarah) Callahan of Arlington, Terry Callahan of Shakopee, Meghan, Joey, and Graeden Callahan of Le Center, Beau and Lily Dawson of Mandaree, ND; great-great-grandchildren, Kayla and Jackie Callahan; very special friend, Gretchen Anne; nieces and nephews.

Florence was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Clarence in 1990; son, Michael in 1976; grandson, Jason in 1975; son-in-law, Bob Kotasek in 2014; Barb’s life partner, Jeff Reineke in 2002; infant brother, Joseph; eight sisters, Rose Pfarr, Louise Johnson, Emily Helget, Veronica Shrank, Eleanor Adams, Lorraine Nagel, Valerie Rohloff, and Helen Miller.