Charlotte Mae (Billing) Peterson died Dec. 9, 2010, at Life Care Center of Longmont, Colo., at the age of 82.

Charlotte was born March 14, 1928, in Waseca, to August and Virginia (Simpson) Billing. In 1934 Charlotte’s family moved from New Richland to Hillsboro, Ore. As a teenager during World War II, Charlotte worked at the Portland Shipyard which built Liberty Ships for the war effort (she swept the decks). Charlotte graduated from Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro, Ore., in 1947. During her senior year she won the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for her art work and was given the first gold key at Hillsboro High. Charlotte was active in the band and was the student director of the spring band concert. Following graduation Charlotte worked as an elevator operator at the Meyer and Frank’s department store in Portland, Ore.

On Dec. 22, 1950, she married Ernest L. Peterson at Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Blooming, Ore., and has made her home in Longmont since their marriage where she and Ernest raised four children. Charlotte was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church for 60 years where she was active in Bethlehem WELCA and the Deborah Circle. She did the artwork and layout for two cookbooks at Bethlehem Lutheran, which raised money to build the picnic shelter at the church called Bethlehem’s Stable. She also completed the five-year bible study with Bible Study Fellowship in Longmont.

Charlotte was a gifted artist and was an international China painter teacher; her China painting won numerous blue ribbons at the Boulder County Fair. Other mediums she enjoyed included Oil, Tole and Rosemaling painting. Charlotte was an excellent seamstress, and loved doing arts and crafts. She was an avid cook and enjoyed cooking for family and friends. She enjoyed bowling.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Ernest L. Peterson, on April 13, 2008.

Charlotte is survived by her children: Sharon Peterson of Minneapolis, Shirley Kasperbauer and friend Michael Cooperman of Longmont, Colo., Stephen Peterson (Joyce) of Greeley, Colo., Scott Peterson and friend Terri Morgan of Platteville, Colo., Gail Felton (Mike) of Longmont and Arja Hornborg (Heikki) of Finland; 12 grandchildren: Michael Kasperbauer (Charmaine) of Chapin, S.C., Becky Kasperbauer and friend Aaron Hart of Boulder, Colo., Jill Luere (Adam) of Englewood, Colo., Ronald Peterson of Greeley, Robert Peterson, of Ft. Collins, Colo., Joseph Peterson of Ft. Collins, Colo., Michelle Hansen (Kevin) of Longmont, Kelly Tienken (Jim) of Louisville, Colo., Christy Felton (Scott Campbell) of Longmont, Juhanni, Helena and Johanna Hornborg of Finland; seven great-grandchildren: Brianna and Michael Jr. Kasperbauer of Chapin, S.C., Carly Riley (Sean) of Longmont, and Emily, Hannah, Ross and Zane Tienken of Louisville, Colo.; two sisters: Marceil Simpson of Cornelius, Ore., and Norma Hanson (Selby) of Tacoma, Wash.; brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws: Herman Enderson of Greeley Colo., Harold (Barbara) Peterson of Oklahoma City, Okla., Ann Peterson of Longmont, Wayne (Norma) Peterson of Albuquerque, N.M., Arnold Peterson of Kingman, Ariz.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ahlberg Funeral Chapel with family present to greet friends. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1000 15th Ave. in Longmont, Colo. Interment at Foothills Gardens of Memory. Memorial contributions to Bethlehem Lutheran Church or the Longmont Humane Society can be sent in care of Ahlberg Funeral Chapel, 326 Terry Street Longmont, CO 80501. Visit www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com to share condolences with the family.