VINETA TWEETEN obituary

Vineta (Nita) Vivian (Mapes-Peterson) Tweeten, 84, died Monday, Sept. 6, 2004, at a Great Falls hospital of natural causes.

Viewing will be held Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the First Lutheran Church in

Havre with the Rev. Brad Ulgenes and the Rev. Catherine Card officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery, followed by a fellowship luncheon at the church.

Nita was born on April 15, 1920, in Havre. She graduated from Havre High School in 1938 and earned her degree in education from Northern Montana College. She pursued her teaching career over the next 40 years at Miller, Cut Bank, Lakeview and Cottonwood schools.

Nita married Russell Peterson in 1942 and had three children: Carol, Mark and Kim. Nita continued farming with her family and teaching. Russell died in 1976. Nita continued to teach and in February 1982, she married Raymond Tweeten. Nita was a member of the First Lutheran Church.

Nita's interests included collecting dolls, old shoes and mice. She loved antiques, decorating cakes and decorating her home. She also loved to hike and search for fossils and arrowheads. Nita was very involved in the Cottonwood Ladies Aid, Cottonwood Home Demonstration Club, Daughters of the Nile, Sons of Norway, Good Samaritan Club, Hospital Auxiliary, Montana Rural Water Systems board, North Havre County Water District board, Beta, National Education Association and traveling with her husband, Ray, and the Shriners.

Nita had an exceptional gift of teaching and loving children.

Nita was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters, two brothers and her daughter, Carol Sue Peterson.

Survivors include her husband, Ray Tweeten of Havre; sons, Mark Peterson and Kim (Nola) Peterson, both of Havre; daughter-in-law, Nancy Peterson of Havre; stepdaughter, Gina Tweeten Farnham of Laurel; stepsons, Chris Tweeten of Helena, Henry (Hank) Tweeten of Havre; longtime friend, Helen (Grams) Angelbeck of Havre; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous stepgrandchildren and step great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the First Lutheran Church, 303 Sixth Ave., Havre, MT 59501, or the Spokane Shriners Hospital, 911 W. Fifth Ave., Spokane, WA 99204-2901.

Arrangements are by the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home.