Patricia Mae (Eidsness) Peters, 91, died August 3, 2026, in Sioux Falls. Pat, the daughter of Trygve and Ardas (Evanson) Eidness, was born January 10, 1935, in Hudson, South Dakota.

Pat graduated from Hawarden (Iowa) High School where she was valedictorian of her graduating class. It was there that she met Raymond Peters, her life-long partner. They married in 1953. At first glance, this seemed an unlikely union. Pat would most likely be found with her nose in a book while Ray would more likely have his nose under the hood of one of his many cars. But, in fact, it was a harmonious and long-lived marriage and partnership, stretching just shy of 70 years when Ray died in 2022.

Together they created beautiful and welcoming homes for their four children and, over the years, many beloved dogs.  Pat had an eye for design and art and she brought this sensibility to creating unique, vibrant, and art-filled interiors while Ray turned his eye to gardening and created colorful and inviting beds of flowers, shrubs, vegetables, and perennials. All of their homes were curated and loved by both of them. Her last home at Touchmark stayed true to this passion for design. Her apartment there was filled with art, books (of course), and fresh flowers, artfully arranged by her.

Pat was a thoughtful life-long learner — a phrase that perhaps gets bandied about too easily these days. But, Pat was the real deal. After she had launched her own four children, Pat returned to college, earning a BA in English Literature from Simpson College in 1989, where she was, again, valedictorian of her class.

From a young age she read — and recorded — all of the thousands of books that she read. As she neared her eightieth birthday, she felt it was a lapse that she had not read Marcel Proust's 7-volume novel In Search of Lost Time. So, she set about reading it and, no surprise to any of us who knew her, she completed the 3500-page novel. In this way and others, Pat was always curious and eager to broaden her world view.

Pat was an autodidact, always teaching herself new things and exposing herself to novel ideas. At a certain point, she decided she should learn French and set about to do just that (before the era of Smart Phones and language learning apps so this was a challenge). As she and Ray were fortunate to be able to travel a bit, Pat loved to explore art and art museums on their journeys so she took on learning and deeply exploring art history.

Pat was a gifted pianist. As Covid descended, and Pat and Ray were confined to their home, Pat studied the works of Bach, practicing the German composer's work daily. She explained that the logic of Bach's music helped guide her through the illogical and frightening time of Covid.

The will to learn stuck with her throughout her retirement. Pat and Ray moved to Sioux Falls in 2000 after Pat retired from her work at the Iowa State Board of Engineering Examiners, a job she loved. Pat was happy to be welcomed by her sisters, Lauralee and Peggy, upon her return.  She also found warm and inclusive groups of friends — the Stitchers, the Quilters, the Get-n-Go coffee klatch ladies, the Tuesday lunch bunch.  Pat took continuing education classes as well as studio art classes and was a talented painter. She was always so grateful and thankful for family and the amazing group of women who embraced her as she set out on her Sioux Falls retirement adventures.

Pat also embraced her work on the Augustana College Library board from 2015-2021. She believed strongly in the mission of all libraries and educational institutions and the important work they do. Pat asked that her beloved collection of books be left to Augustana, a wish that was fulfilled.

Pat was in the midst of reading Willa Cather's My Mortal Enemy shortly before she died. It was on her bedside reading table, a bookmark noting where she had left off. Cather was one of Pat's lifelong favorite authors. One of Cather's memorable quotes reads,  "I shall not die of a cold, my son. I will die from having lived." Pat absolutely epitomized this ideal. She lived fully and thoughtfully, engaging, asking questions, and growing till the very end.

Pat is survived by her four children, Gary (Wasilla, AK); Brian and Jill (Ansted) (Kamas, UT); Ted (Alexandria, VA); and Amy (Madison, CT);  her sisters Lauralee Hegg (Sioux Falls) and Peggy Bhatara (Centerville, SD); and grandchildren Max, Charley, Nolan, Leo, Chet, and Ella.

A celebration of Pat's life will be held at a future date.