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Note: N212 HEIG: 5"4"
EYES: brown HAIR: brown
married at her parents' home, 412 N. Rural
died at home from heart failure
Washinton Park Cemetery
Edith Lorraine Peterson was born March 30, 1919, in Indianapolis,Indiana, the daughter of Harold and Eva (LeFeber) Peterson. She always used her middle name Lorraine. She had a younger brother, Ralph; a younger sister died at birth. Although the baby was not officially named, Lorraine named her Dorothy. Lorraine attended Arsenal Technical High School through her sophomore year but had to quit school to help her family during the depression. On June 17, 1938 she married Frank Herman Nauta. Frank was the second son of Charles and Jenny Nauta who emigrated from Holland in the early 1900s. They lived on Meredith Street in Indianapolis until they moved to Hempstead, NY, in 1945.
Lorraine was a meticulous housekeeper and a devoted mother and wife. She enjoyed sewing and knitting garments for her girls. Her creative talents also included making both braided and hooked rugs from scrap wool that she cut and dyed to get the colors she needed. She liked to try new crafts and was adept in many areas of needlecraft. Her projects filled her home with beauty, and she always made guests feel welcome. She enjoyed gardening, planting roses and forsythia. She sold Avon beauty products to supplement the family income.
Lorraine was very active at the elementary school her girls attended and helped with Brownie and Girl Scout troops. Although money was scarce she made sure the girls took dancing and music lessons. She and Frank enjoyed playing cards, reading and dancing. They joined a square dance club. The girls had lots of fun going with their parents to the square dances.
In 1955 the Nautas moved to North Plainfield, New Jersey. Lorraine had severe health problems and Frank lost his job at RCA. Money was very tight for a year until Frank was rehired, but it necessitated a move back to Indianapolis in 1959. Since the girls were grown, Lorraine took a job with Sears for a few years until her health became an issue. She was diagnosed with diabetes which was controlled by diet for a time, but eventually she had to inject insulin to maintain her sugar levels. She died of a heart attack on April 30, 1980, 3 weeks after her father had passed away and one month after her 61st birthday.
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