Dolores Mabel Peterson

Dolores Mabel (Saxe) Peterson, 92, of Noblesville, Indiana passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on May 24^th. She departed to be with her Lord, her beloved husband of 64 years, Howard “Pete” Peterson, and dear family and friends who have gone before her.

Dolores “Lori” was born May 25, 1930, in Janesville, Wisconsin to Mabel (Ross) and Ewald Saxe.  She graduated in 1948 from Janesville High School. Though she grew up primarily in Janesville, she moved with her family several times, which contributed to her desire as an adult to put down roots and be close to her family and friends. As a child, Lori always felt at home in her church where she developed her love for music and scripture. She found great comfort in both throughout her life.

Lori met Pete their senior year in high school. They married and moved to Indianapolis in 1949 after Pete had established himself as a masonry contractor. Lori worked at Lumbermen’s Insurance early in their marriage, and later alongside Pete as he built his construction and real estate development business. They raised their family of five children and grew the business over more than 50 years, including the development of Castleton Commercial Park and The Precedent office park. After the sale of the Castleton park in 1985, Lori and Pete “semi” retired, moving to a home in Carmel, spending the Spring and Summer enjoying the lovely views of the rolling landscape and the generations of standard bred race horses bred at Viking Meadows Farm, which they built nearby. Fall and Winter were spent in Sarasota, Florida where they enjoyed water views, warm weather and hosting friends and family. Lori has spent the last two years living with her daughter Celeste and her husband Mick in their home on Morse Lake. Beautiful views sound like the theme of their lives, but none as beautiful as their eternal home together.

Through personal giving and The Peterson Family Foundation, Lori and Pete donated to numerous local and regional causes in support of disadvantaged youth, education, seminary students, and healthcare.  They were active in the development of Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zionsville, and remained members there the rest of their lives.

Lori loved nothing more than spending time with her family, both at work and play. She is survived by children: Cheryl Stitt (Larry) of Noblesville, Tim Peterson (Karen) of Carmel, Celeste Stiller (Mick) of Noblesville, Bart Peterson (Amy) of Indianapolis, and Sandy Faust-Mesropian (Chuck) of West Chester, Pennsylvania; 16 grandchildren; and 18 great grandchildren, with two more on the way in 2023.  She was pre-deceased by her parents, her sisters, Beverly and Gail, her brother Leroy “Bud”, and her first grandchild, Thomas Stitt.

Visitation will be Tuesday, May 30, 2023, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, with the funeral service starting at 12:00 pm, both at Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church, 11250 N. Michigan Road, Zionsville, IN 46077. Interment will follow at Hamilton Memorial Park, 4180 Westfield Road, Westfield, IN 46062.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Gennesaret Free Clinics, 615 N. Alabama St. Suite 136, Indianapolis, IN  46204 (https://www.gennesaret.org), or The Foundation for Lutheran Child and Family Services, 1525 N. Ritter Ave., Indianapolis, IN  46219 (https://www.lutheranfamily.org).