PATRICIA LEAH MAHONEY PETERSON
July 10, 1941–Jan. 19, 2025
Patricia “Pat” Leah Mahoney Peterson, passed away peacefully in Henderson, Nevada, on Jan. 19, 2025.
Born on July 10, 1941, in Houston, Texas, to Joseph Patrick Mahoney Jr. and Anna Belle Phillips, her childhood was a mosaic of landscapes, as she attended schools in Texas, Arkansas, and New Mexico before her family settled in Wyoming. She graduated from Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming, in 1959.
On Nov. 3, 1960, Patricia married the love of her life, Donald Sterling Peterson, in Casper. Their 44-year marriage was an adventure shaped by Don’s career with the Bureau of Land Management. Their journey began in the desert heat of Tucson, Arizona, where Don graduated from the University of Arizona. From there, they moved to the charming small town of Vale, Oregon, welcoming their three children in nearby Ontario. After spending time in rural Nevada — living in both Battle Mountain and Tonopah — the family finally settled in Newcastle, Wyoming, in 1977.
Patricia worked as a bank teller in both Tucson and Newcastle before beginning a long, dedicated career with the Weston County Clerk’s office.
Following Don’s passing on May 13, 2005, Patricia began a new chapter moving in 2006 to Thornton, Colorado, to live with her daughter, Bonnie, before eventually moving into her very own condo. For the first time in her life, Pat experienced the thrill of living on her own, a milestone she embraced with immense pride and excitement. She continued this independent lifestyle when she moved to Henderson, Nevada, in 2017, where she enjoyed the sunshine and the proximity to family until her passing.
Patricia found her greatest happiness in life’s quieter moments. She was an avid reader and was rarely seen without a book by her side. She also cherished the simple weekend afternoons spent with Don in their Chevy Suburban, exploring the rugged backroads around Newcastle or sharing laughs and stories with their close circle of friends.
Patricia is survived by her children, Bonnie Peterson, Henderson, Nevada, Darcy Peterson Jones (James Michael) Hazel, Kentucky, and Steven Peterson (Julae) Moorcroft, Wyoming; grandchildren, Joss Jones (Vanessa), Hayden Jones, Chace Peterson (Lindsay), Elizabeth Peterson, Mason Peterson, Jayssa Peterson, and Tayson Peterson; great-grandson, Easton Salle Peterson, who brought her immense joy in his first year of life; and her siblings, Paula Fry, Martha Mendez, Mary Lovelady, and Joseph Mahoney III.
Patricia was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Don Peterson; her parents; and her older sister, Serena Mahoney Ruconich.
Though she will be deeply missed, her family takes comfort in knowing she is likely exploring a new backroad somewhere with Don, book in hand, with a heart
full of peace.