Sandra L. Peterson, 80, of Rock Island, passed away Wednesday March 23, 2016 at Select Specialty Hospital, Davenport, IA. Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 3030 - 7th Ave., Rock Island.  Entombment will be in Memorial Park Mausoleum, Rock Island. Visitation will be 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to either The Arthritis Foundation or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Sandra was born October 2, 1935 in Macomb, IL, daughter of Evelyn Breeding and Keith Tipton. She graduated in 1953 from Rock Island High School. Sandra and Ward A. Peterson were united in marriage on March 26, 1955 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Rock Island. He preceded her in death on November 12, 2008.

In earlier years, Sandra worked at Container Corporation of America. She then chose to take time off to care for and raise her two children.  She also worked for the Rock Island School District as a secretary at Lincoln School in Rock Island for 20 years. She retired in 1998. In later years, she was a caregiver for her husband and also watched her younger grandchildren.

Sandra will be fondly remembered as a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She especially enjoyed time with family and friends, loving her grandchildren, and traveling with family to Chicago and the Spring pilgrimage in Natchez, Mississippi. Sandra also enjoyed crocheting, playing card games with friends and going to plays at the Lincolnshire Theater.

Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law, Jeffrey (Nancy) Peterson, LeClaire, IA; daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer (Ronald) Knuth, Rock Island; grandchildren, Erik, (and his wife Erin), Tor, Rebecca, Hannah and Jonathan; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Jo Ellen and Len Gasper, Moline, sister-in-law, Betty Tipton, Rapid City, IL; several loving nieces and nephews; and special friends, Judy and Richard Kennedy, Moline, Kathy Nelson, Rock Island, Patricia Zimmer, Minnesota, Barbara Nowack, Milan, and Dana Rossmiller, Moline.

Sandra was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother, Kenny Tipton, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Sue and Al Doyle and Dr. Jon and Mary Ann Peterson.