Anita Marie Petersen

The light of Anita Marie Petersen, 47, of Austin, TX, was darkened on October 5, 2024.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3:30 PM, Sunday, December 8, 2024, at Cook-Walden Funeral Homes in Pflugerville, TX. Dinner will be followed at 6:00 PM at Austin Park and Play, in Pflugerville, TX. Additional services will be held in David City, NE. For Anita’s Celebration of Life, we ask that everyone dresses in colorful attire, whether it be wearing funny socks, showing off shirts from the Bunny House or Extra Life, sporting the most fun head bopper, or breaking out your sparkliest costume.

Anita was born September 19, 1977, in Columbus, NE, to William “Bill” and Shirley (Bayer) Petersen. She graduated from David City Public High School and Hastings College, where she received her degree in Business Administration with a focus on hospitality.

As the second child of five, Anita brought so much laughter to her family. She often looked for the ways to make a regular day extraordinary and provided the much needed comic relief during family situations. Her childhood was full of acting or singing in summer theater and Vaudeville Days; showing mini lops and angora rabbits with her siblings in 4-H at the Butler County Fair; playing clarinet in band, bari saxophone in jazz band, or leading the marching band as drum major; and cheerleading at sporting events.

After high school, Anita ventured to Sioux Fall, SD, where she worked in car financing, which eventually led her to St. Louis Park, MN. While in the Minneapolis area, she loved annually visiting the Minnesota State Fair on her own personal beer tour or heading to Chetek, WI, to float on a pontoon boat with her family. She worked for iQor, which took her to Buffalo, NY, to help build their office site. Most recently she worked as a Director of Operations at Trellis in Round Rock, TX, where Anita loved her spreadsheets and was a trusted advisor and friend to so many of her colleagues. Her creativity even shone at work, especially when there was a social event albeit a Halloween event or a company social.

Anita was a beloved friend to so many and spent endless hours supporting important charitable efforts. Midweek you'd find her at the Bunny House (aka House Rabbit Resource Network) cleaning cages or socializing rabbits. Her weekends were often spent volunteering to raise money for Extra Life, which benefits Dell Children's Medical Center, through gaming events. During the school season, she supported her nephew's marching band by being the best "Band Auntie" as she often stepped in to push heavy equipment and props across turf fields on 100+ degree days.

Beyond her volunteering, she had a love for festivities and fun. An avid fan of all kinds of costumes, she spent her spring weekends at the Sherwood Forest Faire with her clanmates, engaging in all sorts of activities that usually included flames and glitter. Visiting Pinballz over the years connected her to so many friends through playing plenty of Killer Queen video games. In her free time, she enjoyed collecting Frida Kahlo items, working on diamond art kits, and visiting national and state parks.

We also ask that the next time you do something a little wild or travel somewhere fun or go to a crazy festival with a silly headband, please use the hashtag #InspiredByAnita so that we will remember the free spirit Anita inspired in all of us.

She is survived by her mother, Shirley Petersen of David City; two sisters, Amy (Brad) Strain of Nacogdoches, TX, Leigh Petersen (David Aldridge) of Austin, TX; two brothers Grant Petersen of Dillon, MT, and Clayton (Myndi) Petersen of David City; three nieces, Mercedes Strain, Oaklyn Petersen, and Brixtyn Petersen; and one nephew, Michael Aldridge. She is also survived by her grandma Katherine Bayer of Schuyler.

Anita was preceded in death by her father; her grandparents, Jerry and Adeline Petersen and Lawrence J. Bayer.

A GoFundMe was created to support the Petersen family during this incredibly difficult time. All proceeds will go towards expenses for the Celebration of Life events in Texas and Nebraska, family travel, and outstanding estate costs. Any extra funds will be donated equally between Extra Life and the Bunny House.