Cathy Jo (Childers) Peterson, 72, of Chadron, NE, passed away April 25, 2022, at Monument Health Rapid City Hospital in Rapid City, SD.

Cathy was born May 28, 1949, in Hot Springs, SD to Vincent & Louise (Davis) Childers. Cathy grew up on the family dairy where she loved to ride her horse. She learned at an early age about working hard.

She attended the Edgemont school system graduating in 1967, as Salutatorian. Cathy went on to college at the University of Wyoming, where she met & married Alan Quenelle in August 1968. She graduated as a RN. Cathy worked as a nurse in the Portland, Oregon area, Moses Lake, Washington area, and the San Francisco / Oakland, CA area until after the death of her husband Alan. At that time, she moved to the Kirkland, Washington area. During this time, she earned her master's in nursing from the University of Washington.

Cathy continued to work as a RN until her mother Louise's death from diabetes complications. That inspired her to educate everyone about diabetes. She completed her training & became a Certified Diabetes Educator. Cathy continued to work in the Kirkland area. Then out of the blue, in 2008, she reconnected with her high school sweetheart Bruce Peterson. They married May 1, 2009. She moved to S-E Kansas on Bruce's ranch. Cathy almost melted in the heat & humidity. So, they sold out and Bruce bought a ranch west of Chadron, Nebraska.

Cathy started working as the Nurse Manager at Prairie Pines Assisted Living in Chadron in June of 2011. She also worked as a diabetes educator at Chadron community hospital. After a couple years, she worked full time in diabetes education at Chadron community hospital. Cathy worked hard and got the diabetes education at CCH certified. She retired in June of 2019 & enjoyed her yard & traveling. The person that had taken over the diabetes education moved to a different position & Cathy was asked to come back to work part time. With covid cancelling all of her travel plans, her comment was "I'm only 72 - I might just as well go back to work."

She will be missed by many family members as well as many friends.

Cathy is survived by her husband Bruce Peterson, brother Brain (Sandra) Childers _, sister Judy (Joe) Varick, two nieces Eve Millar & her three children Hadli (Tanner) Freeman (& their children,) Josi, & Cactus Jack; Becky (Ben) Reutter & their two boys Dalton & Cooper; nephew Toby & his three children, Maddox, Crosby & Jones.

Honorary casket bearers will be Cathy's great nieces & nephews: Hadli, Josi, Cactus Jack, Dalton, Cooper, Maddox, Crosby, & Jones.

Memorial services will be at the Edgemont Baptist Church in Edgemont, SD at 2 pm, Saturday, May 21, 2022.

A celebration of life for Cathy will be at the Ridgeview Golf Course in Chadron, NE on Sunday May 22, 2022, from 5:30-7:00 pm.