Carol Petersen

A very colorful light suddenly flickered and was gone. Carol Ann Petersen, “Zaz,” passed peacefully into the arms of her heavenly Father with her family at her side on December 26, at Essentia-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd. Carol Ann, 51, of Nisswa, was born November 8, 1965, in Browerville, to Gwen and Russell Norberg. She graduated from Staples High School and studied at Augustana University.

In 1991, Carol Ann married Bryan Petersen, the love of her life. They lived in Vermillion, SD; Brookings, SD; Bemidji, Brainerd, and Nisswa. While living in South Dakota, she toured with the Augustana University Choir and graced the stage of the Olde Towne Dinner Theatre. After Carol Ann and Bryan moved to Nisswa, they brought home their two much-loved children from Haiti, Isaiah and Janae.

Locally, Carol Ann worked at the Office Shop and then at Paper Birch Gallery in Nisswa.

Carol Ann won several state and national awards as a Minnesota Jaycees. During the 2002 Jaycees International Congress in Las Vegas, she sang the National Anthem and wowed the crowd with her beautiful voice. She volunteered as a leader for MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and she was also instrumental in beginning the local Operation Christmas Child gift box drive. She is a member of Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa.

Carol Ann (called “Zaz” for enthusiasm) cherished her loved ones and made anyone she was with feel special, as well as the countless close friends in her online community. She battled cancer with humor and grace (and colorful, mismatched socks), lifted daily by her strong faith in God and the love of family and friends.

Carol Ann is survived by husband, Bryan; children, Isaiah and Janae; parents, Russell and Gwen Norberg; brother, Jon Norberg; mother-in-law and father in-law, Carolyn and Rich Petersen; sister in-law, Brenda Bull; nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins; her fur-baby, Zinzy; and countless friends.

The Celebration of Life for Carol Ann Petersen will be held at Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa, on Saturday, January 14, at 1 p.m. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. For those unable to attend, the service will be streamed online: https://livestream.com/lccnisswa. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel in Brainerd.