Ida Marie Petterson

Ida Marie Petterson, nee Strom

Ida Marie Petterson, nee Strom
b- Mar 30, 1912, near Lake Alma, SK.
d- Feb 22, 1999, in Estevan, SK
buried in Souris Valley Memorial Gardens, Estevan, SK

married Knute Hjalmer Petterson in Oct 8, 1929
b- Feb 20, 1905 in Halbrite SK
d- Dec 10, 1973 in St. Joseph Hospital, Estevan SK.
buried in Souris Valley Memorial Gardens, Estevan
son of John Carl Petterson and Mary Petterson, nee ?
both born in Sweden
They moved from ND to Woodend District in 1903.
1911 family shown in Estevan
Knute attended Woodend School, south of Estevan.
Knute and Ida moved to Outram District to farm,
after they were married, until 1936, when they moved to Estevan.
He operated a Coal Mine with the Flower Brothers, during the 1930's when farming was poor.
1964 he farmed, SW Section 10, Tsp 1, Rge 8, W2.
He was a member of the Estevan Elks Lodge.
He had 8 brothers:
Carl S. “Manny” Petterson,
b- Nov 1893, Sweden
d- aft 1970
Melvin Petterson,
b- Dec 28, 1895 in USA,
d- Sept 19, 1979
Gustave (Gustaf)(Gustav) “Gus” “Bid” Petterson,
b- June 1897 in USA
d- bef 1970
Oscar Petterson,
b- Jan 16, 1899 in USA
d- age 21
Clause Fredoulph “Butch” Petterson,
(see info below)
Rudolph Henry Petterson,
b- June 1905, SK
d- Mar 4, 1981
Otto “Burgum” Petterson,
b- Feb 1908, SK
d- Jan 27, 1996
Nansel Clifford “Johnson” Petterson,
b- Dec 15, 1910 in SK
d- Mar 5, 1969

Clause Fredoulph Petterson
b- Dec 11, 1902, at Dwight, ND, USA
d- Jan 15, 1970, at Estevan SK, age 67
married Rosie Betland, Oct 5, 1931
they had a son, and 2 daughters.
their son Duane C. Petterson sent corrected info
on the brothers of Knute.
He also sent pictures of Ida and her family
which when I get them scanned, I will add here.

Ida and Knute had 4 children.

Ida was a Business Women, Community Leader, and Mayor in Estevan.

The First Female Mayor of not only Estevan, but the First Female Mayor in Saskatchewan.

Elected as Estevan Councillor in 1960, remaining there for 6 years.
Ran for Mayor unsuccessfully in 1968, against Mayor Gregg Trout, and successfully Dec 2, 1970, defeating Mr. Trout.
She took Office, Jan 1, 1971.
Re-elected for a 2nd term. She was defeated in 1976.
When she became Mayor the first change, was she did away with the Commissioner System of Government, with Department heads reporting directly to Council Members
rather than the Mayor and City Commissioner.
She was proud of the fact all Department Heads were from Estevan, and didn't believe in advertising out of the City, for City Jobs.
Under her direction they removed the old Angle Parking, and went to parallel parking on all streets.
Her claim it made Estevan look like a City not a Cow Town.
Alderman Frank Mather quit after this decision, and I am sorry, I have to agree with Frank.
I personally like angle parking, so we all don't agree on everything.

Ida was educated in the Lake Alma Area.
Before moving to Estevan, some of her previous jobs were:
Butchering Cattle, and Cooking in the Mines, for Miners.
1931 she cooked at a mine at Roche Percee.
She started a General Store in Estevan in 1937, on 6th ave, between 3rd and 4th st.
1945 a larger store was built SE Corner of 4th St. and 7th Ave.
In 1958, this store was converted to Petterson's Self-Serve Laundromat.
(Estevan Laundromat , 638 4th St. ca 2012)
If running the Laundromat wasn't enough, Ida became a Life Insurance Underwriter for Family Life, becoming top Salesperson by 1967.
1977 she was Chairperson of the Nursing Home Board.
1978 awarded Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal.

Some of the achievements, or improvements made, during her Civic Career in Estevan:
(Of course I understand others helped bring these in, not just Ida Petterson)

New City Library Building
Estevan Regional Nursing Home, additional 20 beds.
New City Hall
Water and Sewer Upgrades
More Paved Streets
New Curling Rink
Underground Sprinkling System in the Parks
Reduced City Debt by one third by end of her 2 terms.

She opened Torgeson Park while she was Mayor.

Plans and funding for the Art Gallery, Museum building, later called the Estevan National Exhibition Center was handled under her term. Ida was honoured at it's opening, Apr 30, 1978.

She worked toward a Historical Society being formed, also signage improvements for Woodlawn Park.

$4 Million Dollar, Estevan Mall was built during her term, and officially opened Aug. 21, 1974, by Mayor Ida Petterson.

Ida received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 1992

Ida Petterson Memorial Award for Outstanding Entrepreneur, presented and named in her honour in Estevan each year.

Petterson Dr. in Estevan, named in her honour.

Family Tree of Ida Marie Petterson, nee Strom

Ancestors originated in Norway.
Her father immigrated in 1900.
By 1904 family living in Minnesota USA
Between 1906 and 1908 they moved to ND
1910 her family were living in Bonereaill, Williams, North Dakota, USA
In 1911 they moved to their homestead in SK, NW 1/4 Section 9, Tsp 1, Range 17, W2 in the Lake Alma area.

Lake Alma Village itself was at Sec 22, Tsp 2, Rge 17, W2

Father- Otelius Strom
b- 1878 in Norway
d- bef 2000
Otelius's Father and Mother were both born in Norway
Otelius immigrated in 1900
He immigrated to Quebec Canada, from Liverpool UK,
Aug 5, 1900 on Numidian, heading to Hitterdal, Clay co., Minn, USA, as a labourer.
last residence- Smanger Melo Norway.

Mother- Petra Strom, nee Hagen
b- 1881 in Norway
d- ca Sept 9, 1923, after birth of daughter Marvelous
Her father and mother were both born in Norway
Petra immigrated to USA in 1902
(Mathiason could also be her maiden name, instead of Hagen)

Brother- Martin H. Strom
b- Feb 2, 1904 in Clay Co. Minnesota
d- ca 1915 from a threshing accident, where he lost his leg,
He died from Blood loss.

Brother- Harold M. Strom
b- May 15, 1905 in Clay Co., Minnesota USA
(also seen 1906 as birth year)
d- bef 2000

Sister- Edel “Ethel” Oliva Strom
b- Aug 13, 1907 in Bonetraill, Williams, North Dakota, USA
d- Oct 8, 2000 in her room at the Weyburn Special Care Home, Weyburn SK.
Buried in Saron Lutheran Cemetery, Lake Alma, SK
Ethel's husband Ole Lund, married June 1924, Plentywood ND
b- 1900
d- 1979
Ethel and Ole had at least 2 sons I know of
Obert Edhart Lund 1925-1996
Clifton Leroy Lund- 1933-2000

Brother- Earl F. Strom
b- 1911 in ND
d- bef 2000

then Ida Marie Strom herself was born in 1912 in SK

Sister- Alma Strom
b- in SK bet 1911-1923
married Chuck Richards
Alma was alive in 2000
Lived in Winnipeg in 2000

Brother- Melvin Strom
b- in SK bet 1911-1923
d- bef 2000

Sister- Marvellous Strom
b- Sept 9, 1923 in SK
d- Jan 10, 2000 at Regina General Hospital
she married Ludven Tytlandsvik, July 5, 1946.
After her mother died she was adopted into
the John and Joanna Ordahl family.

“Settlers of the Hills” History Book, 1975, ISBN: 0919212786
This book is supposed to have this family listed in it.

Also “Settlers of the Hills and Beyond” written in 2001 has history of this area. ISBN: 1550566199

I don't have copies of these books, sorry

Photo of Ida courtesy Cheryl Andrist

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