Betty R. Studden

SANTA  ANA, Calif. - Betty R. Studden, 91, a native of Iron Belt, Wis., died Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, at the Royale Health Care Center in Santa Ana.                         

     The former Betty R. Peterson was born Feb. 23, 1922, in Iron Belt, daughter of the late Charles E. and Theresa (Rosa) Peterson, Sr., and graduated from Iron Belt High School with the Class of 1939.

     Betty worked as a cashier at the General Motors Training Center in California from 1964 to 1971. From 1971 until her retirement in 1984, she worked in San Marcos as an optical technician for Armalite 3M, becoming one of the first women in her field. She volunteered on the city election board in Burbank for many years and also served as treasurer and corresponding secretary of Wesley Tower Council in Burbank.

     She was an amazing cook specializing in our family's birthday cakes and a heavenly pasty that could warm your soul. She was a successful home gardener, a very good friend and the life of the party.  She was married to Ernest R. Studden of Montreal, Wis. at the First Presbyterian Church in Hurley, Wis., on Sept. 27, 1941, by the late Rev. Chester L. Harries. He pre-deceased her.

      She was also pre-deceased by her only child, her most beloved daughter, Bonnie Jean (Studden) Gillespie of Burbank on Aug. 6th, 1996, and her caring son-in-law David Robert Gillespie of Burbank on Nov.17, 2003.

     She is survived by her two precious granddaughters, Tiffany Lynn (Jeffery) Perrigo, of Snohomish, Wash., and Tammy Kay (Rene) Contreras of Irvine, and four great-grandchildren, Nicole Jean Contreras (9), Nathan Rene Contreras (5), Henry David Perrigo (5), and Keely Lynn Perrigo (1). She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews, cousins and her lifelong friend Carmen Seabury, all of whom she loved dearly and talked about often.

     She was the last surviving sibling of the 10 children in the Peterson family. She was preceded in death by her five brothers, Charles Peterson, Jr. of Iron Belt, George Peterson and Oscar Peterson of Hurley, Erling Peterson of Ironwood, Mich., and Laurence Peterson of Wauwatosa, Wis., and her four sisters, Mabel Studden of Bessemer, Mich., Elizabeth Herrewig of Long Beach, Della Cortichiato of Daphne, Ala., and Marianne Vargovich of Bessemer.

     Betty will be laid to rest next to her husband Ernest Studden at the Hillside Cemetery in Iron Belt.

     Betty was a true lover of life and left her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren with the greatest gift of all, unconditional love. We love you Nonie, to the heavens and back.

     Local arrangements were entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, Inc., Ironwood, where condolences may be expressed online at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.