Donna Rae Peterson

Donna R. Peterson, 78, passed away on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at a local hospital in Sioux City, Iowa. Services will be held at a later date. Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, Morningside Chapel, is assisting the family.

Donna Rae Wood, the daughter of Rex and Agnes (Ondocker) Wood, was born June 5, 1947, in Delmont, South Dakota. She graduated from Delmont High School in 1965.

Donna married Dennis Peterson in February of 1983 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She opened her own ceramic shop (“The Hen House”) where she made and painted art as well as taught ceramic classes twice a week. In 1987, the couple moved to Sioux City, where Donna became a Private Investigator for the Talon agency. She did everything from collecting to surveillance to repos to serving notices. Donna did clerical work for the Sioux City Assessors office before retiring in 1999.

Donna was a member of a pinochle club and enjoyed playing the Penny Slots at the Hard Rock Casino all night for nearly nothing at all. She found relaxation in her love of sewing where she made everything from Afghans to patches. Donna began to take an interest in baseball and watched the LA Dodgers nearly every night.

Donna is survived by her husband, Dennis; children, Jim Fauth of Sioux Falls, Gina (Al) Reinken, and Sara Oliveira; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and brothers, Donny (Jenny) Wood of Billings, MT and Ricky (Linda) Wood of California. She was preceded in death by her parents, Rex and Agnes Wood.