Birdie Mae Peterson (nee Preston) was born on October 26, 1937, at her grandparents’ home near Oregon, IL and passed away on May 11, 2024, in hospice care, at the age of 87.
She grew up on a farm with her parents, Lyman and Ila Mae Preston and sisters Bobi and Punkie. She attended a one-room schoolhouse for four of her early years of school and then went to Stillman Valley, IL schools through high school. Birdie had many fond memories of her younger years, and often told stories of how life was so different without all our modern conveniences.
After high school, Birdie attended college at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, where she met her husband, Orrin Peterson, and they married on March 16, 1957. Children quickly followed and Janet, Diana, Jim, and Bob completed their family. They moved to Crystal Lake in 1963. After Orrin’s death in 1993, Birdie reconnected with childhood friend Charles “Talbot” Hayes. The two were married on October 19, 2001
Birdie received her BS in Education and in 1993 she earned a master’s degree from National Louis University. She taught grade school in Harvard, IL for a short time and then in Crystal Lake, IL. 24 of her teaching years were at Coventry School – 13 years in 4th grade, 3 years in 6th grade and 8 years in 2nd grade. In 1977 she had the opportunity to travel to Montana to work with paleontologists looking for dinosaur bones, which was a unique and exciting adventure.
She was held in high regard by her fellow teachers and friends. Birdie enjoyed traveling, playing golf and bridge, raising plants and gardening, ceramics, and China painting. After retirement, Birdie enjoyed spending time in Arizona with her husband, Talbot Hayes until his death in 2009. Retirement also brought them to Wisconsin where they lived for many years. Birdie assisted with the 4-H Dog Show at the Central Wisconsin State fair for many years and enjoyed watching the youth working with their dogs.
Birdie is survived by her children, Diana (Glen) Floress, Jim (Betty) Peterson and Bob (Dawn) Peterson, her grandchildren Jenna, Sarah (Jesse), James, Katie (Matt), Anna and Erin, as well as great-grandchildren Maya, Aiyana, Matthew, Isabel, Amalia, Elijah, and her two sisters Roberta Long and LaNor “Punkie” (David) Abney. She was pre-deceased by her husbands, Orrin Peterson and Talbot Hayes, her daughter Janet, her parents, a sister-in-law and two brothers-in-law.
Birdie was pre-deceased by her husbands, Orrin Peterson and Talbot Hayes, her daughter Janet, her parents, one sister-in-law and two brothers-in-law.
Services will be held at the First Congregational Church on Pierson Street, Crystal Lake, IL and internment will be at the Crystal Lake Memorial Park on Ridgefield Road in Crystal Lake on June 1, 2024, at 11:00 AM.
Author: News Desk
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