LaWanna Sorensen Peterson, age 94, in her words, “jumped the wall” on December 3, 2022 at Millard Care and Rehabilitation in Delta, Utah, completing a long life devoted to her family, church, and community. She was born on May 28, 1928 in Manti, Utah, the first of Erastus Mayo and Vera Anderson Sorensen’s eight children. Her childhood during The Great Depression and World War II left her with lifelong traits of creativity, thrift, resourcefulness, and resilience.
LaWanna graduated as co-valedictorian from Manti High School in 1946, then in 1948 from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. While at Snow College she met her future husband, Wesley H. Peterson. They married on June 3, 1949 at her beloved grandparents’ home in Manti. Their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple on October 23, 1956. Their first home was in Logan, Utah, where Wes attended Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University) and their first son, Russell, was born. Upon Wes’s graduation, they moved to Salt Lake City, where three more sons were born. In September 1958, the Peterson family moved to Hinckley, Utah, where Wes and LaWanna immersed themselves in Millard County life and added two daughters and two more sons to their family. Church service, leadership in PTA, Boy Scouts, and 4-H, plus other volunteer and part-time work filled LaWanna’s life while she raised her family. Over the years she worked as a nutrition aide with the Millard County Extension Service, a teacher’s aide, and as postal and retail clerks. Above all of this, she worked with Wes to parent their eight children and infuse in them a strong work ethic and a love of education. As the kids left home, attended school, married, and had children, LaWanna relished her long-awaited role as a grandma and joined Wes in local, state, and national soil & water conservation groups. They enjoyed the travel and friendships from those affiliations. As the clerk for the Soil Conservation District Board, LaWanna oversaw the distribution of thousands of trees planted in Millard County.
Following Wes’s death in February 2000, LaWanna continued as a board member and volunteer at the Great Basin Museum and the Millard County Fair. She was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many teaching, leadership, and clerical roles.
LaWanna’s hobbies included reading, sewing, quilting, painting, gardening, knitting, and crocheting, which resulted in afghans for her descendants, and her specialty totes and other useful items crocheted from plastic shopping bags, which she gave to pretty much anyone and taught the craft to many others in her travels.
LaWanna is survived by her eight children: Russell (Shirley), Warren (Judy), Jeff (Maria), Ellis (Gretchen), Janeal (Kenny), James (Haley), Nate (Audra), and Elizabeth (Peter); 20 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren; three sisters, and two brothers. She was preceded in death by her husband: Wesley; granddaughter: Amy Lynn; her parents, and brothers: Rex and Gary.
A Viewing will be held at the Hinckley Ward meeting house on Friday, December 9 beginning at 9:30 am, followed by a Prayer Service for family and close friends at 10:30. Interment will follow at the Hinckley Cemetery at 11:00 am.
LaWanna’s family expresses their deepest gratitude and respect to the many caregivers and neighbors who have cared for and looked after Mom over the years, especially the loving staff at Millard Care and Rehab, which was Mom’s home for the past five years.
In lieu of flowers, please plant a tree, donate to the Great Basin Museum, or to the scholarship program of your choice.