See change in visitation schedule
Lauren celebrated life right from the start. On Friday, July 3, 1993, in Fargo, North Dakota, Douglas and Janeen (Slaughter) Peterson announced the birth of their only child, Lauren Jean. Spending her early childhood years in Fargo, Lauren took an early interest in dancing. Creating her own dance routines as a toddler, she loved to entertain family and friends. Lauren even tried her hand in soccer, but soon found herself on the sidelines dancing with her friends.
Moving to Prior Lake in 2002, Lauren’s interest in dance soon became her passion. She demonstrated her celebration of life by joining Center Stage Dance Studio. Lauren first started in regular dance, and soon excelled in competition dance. Being determined, fearless and talented, she always wanted to be that ‘Platinum’ dancer. During her high school years, Lauren even was a mentor and instructor for the younger students. In her free time, she enjoyed vacationing and camping with her parents, and listening to music, and regularly communicating with her friends.
Attending Prior Lake High School, Lauren was an exceptional student. She showed us how to celebrate life by trying something new. In her junior year, Lauren temporarily left dance and joined the cheerleading squad. Through that experience, she grew closer to her friends, and developed a new sense of school spirit. Graduating from high school in June of 2011, Lauren was soon pursuing her dream of becoming a college student. She again braved the unknown and she became a freshman at NDSU, in Fargo, ND, where Lauren quickly found a new group of very close friends. Her young eyes began to see and appreciate a larger world, and in doing so, Lauren was also able to renew and strengthen her relationship to her family.
Celebrating life with a passion for living as a daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend, Lauren had a contagious smile, long beautiful hair and a sassy attitude. She was a woman with strong confidence, a compassionate heart, a natural friend-maker, and her family was the most important thing in her life.
On a snowy Monday afternoon of February 20, 2012, Lauren’s life was tragically taken in a serious car accident, along with her new college friends, Danielle Renninger, Jordan Playle and Megan Sample. A resident of Prior Lake, Lauren was 18 years young. In her passing, Lauren gave the ultimate gift of life, by being an organ donor.
Forever loved, Lauren will be deeply missed by her loving parents, Doug and Janeen Peterson; grandparents, Harold and Marie Slaughter of West Fargo, ND; uncles and aunts, Jamie and Wendy Peterson of Oklee, MN, Brian and Letty Peterson of Oklee, MN, Mike Peterson of Oklee, MN, Randy and Tracy Finseth of Trail, MN, Troy Peterson of Karlstad, MN, Cindy and Brian Swanson of Detroit Lakes, MN; cousins, Derek, Leah, Luke Peterson, Alex and Marin Peterson, Michelle and Erin Sundquist, Alexandra, Keith, Nicole and Jacob Swanson; Godparents, Cindy Swanson and Randy Berberich; other loving relatives and many, many friends.
Lauren is preceded in death by her grandparents, Ronald and Jeanette Peterson.
JOIN US IN CELEBRATING LAUREN’S LIFE
Visitation will be on Friday, February 24 from 4-8 PM., with an “Open Sharing” session at 7 PM at Church of St. Michael 16311 Duluth Avenue SE, Prior Lake. Guests at the Friday visitation are encouraged to wear life-celebrating clothes they feel Lauren would enjoy. The visitation will continue Saturday, February 25 starting at 9:30 AM with the Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11AM. Father Tom Sieg will officiate.
Memorials are preferred and will be distributed in Lauren’s memory by the family.
