Obituary of Garnette Linnie Doty

Garnette Linnie Sykes Petersen Doty, 96, died peacefully on Monday, April 15, 2019 at Solvay Hospice House, Duluth, MN, surrounded by her loving family. Prior to her time at Solvay, Garnette lived at Ecumen Lakeshore.

Garnette was born to the late John and Edith Sykes in Missoula, MT on November 22, 1922. Garnette, her parents and siblings, lived in Kansas and Iowa before settling in Duluth, MN. She attended Central High School.

She was a lifelong member of Duluth Gospel Tabernacle and active in its Sunday school and music programs.

On May 6, 1949, Garnette married Sidney Paul Petersen of Minden, NE. They lived in Duluth until 1957 when they went as missionaries to Liberia, West Africa. In addition to their missionary work, Sidney and Garnette served churches in Breckenridge, MN and Palisades Park, NJ. After retirement, they were interim pastors at churches in Brooklyn and Staten Island, NY.

In 2003, Garnette and Russell Doty renewed their lifelong friendship, and, after a brief courtship, married on August 2, 2003.

At the age of 92 Garnette chronicled her early years as a missionary to Liberia in her book titled, Ma Petersen’s Liberia.

Garnette is survived by daughters Patricia (Keith) Hansen and Rebecca (Leonard) Haapanen; daughter-in-law Catherine (Sutera) Petersen; grandchildren Carrie (Andrew) Carlson, Erica (Scott) Foster, Alisa Hansen, Nathan (Cheryl) Petersen, Krista Petersen, Erin (Johnny) Weaver, Alex, Seth, Abigail, John, and Elizabeth Haapanen; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters Esther Nygaard and Ellen (Richard) Carlson; brothers Jim (Diane) Sykes, E. Paul (Carol) Sykes, and Tom Sykes; sister-in-law Rosalie Petersen; many nieces and nephews and eight step-children and their families.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, Sidney Paul Petersen and her husband of 11 years, Russell Carl Doty; son, Richard Alan Petersen; parents Edith and John Sykes; sisters Iris and Gloria; brother Frank; brothers-in-law Gordon Petersen and Wallace Nygaard; and sisters-in-law Audrey Sykes and Marguerite Sykes.

A gathering of family and friends will occur from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. Celebration of Life service Thursday, April 18 at Duluth Gospel Tabernacle, 1515 W. Superior St. Interment will be at the Minden Cemetery, Minden, NE.  In honor of Garnette’s work and love for her friends in Liberia, memorials to Duluth Gospel Tabernacle Medical Missions are appreciated.

Arrangements by Bell Brothers Jarvi Dowd Funeral Home.