Renée Diane Peterson of Billings, MT has gone home, leaving behind a circle of those who loved her.
A life remembered begins, simply, with the telling.
Time has its way of binding people together.
Renée Diane Peterson passed away peacefully on April 22, 2026 at home at Autumn Springs in Billings under the care of hospice. Renée was born October 27, 1948 to Kenneth Peterson and Muriel (Holmquist) Peterson in the doctor's office above the grocery store in Rhame, ND. At a young age the family moved to Miles City, MT where Renée grew up and attended school with her two older brothers, Ken and Gary. Renée graduated from CCDHS in 1967 and went on to attend Eastern Montana College in Billings. She majored in English education and became the first member of her family with a college degree. After several years of teaching in Roundup, Renée returned to Miles City and settled into her classroom at Washington Middle School, where she was a fixture for more than 40 years. Renée taught grammar to several generations of Miles City kids and was proud of her time serving the community. She loved her hometown and her students. Laughter was her trademark. Renée always had a joke to share and loved to tell a good story. Sven, Ole, and Lena were like old friends. The "magic tricks" she shared in her classroom mildly entertained thousands of students through the years. Travel with family and friends was always an exciting adventure. She had a big personality and was hard to forget once you met. Renée cherished her extended family. She took special care of her niece and nephews, providing hours of entertainment and many fond memories. Her parents, siblings, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, and cousins were the most important people in her world. From Aunt Arlene in Florida to Cousin Lee in Colorado, Renée did her best to stay connected with those she loved. Renée was preceded in death by her parents Kenneth and Muriel, her brother Ken, and sister-in-law Marge. She is survived by her brother Gary and sister-in-law Deana of Great Falls, nephew Bryan (Jodi) Peterson of Huntley, nephew Casey (Merideth) Peterson of Fargo, ND, and niece Darcie (Ben) Aakre of Great Falls. She will be missed as well by her eight grand nieces and nephews. The family would like to give a special thank you to the staff at Autumn Springs Assisted Living and the Compassus hospice team for the wonderful care provided to Reneé. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery with a luncheon at the Parlor after. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be mailed to Washington Middle School, 1604 Main St., Miles City, MT, 59301.
Stevenson & Sons Funeral Homes is honored to serve the family of Renée Diane Peterson.
