Isabel P. (Peterson) Dering

Isabel was born on June 9, 1918 in Swissvale, PA to Terenius Peterson and Hilda Johnson of Sweden.  She was born on a Sunday, and passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021.  More amazingly, she was born during the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918 and passed away during the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020-2021.

Life was not easy for Isabel.  She represents a generation who saw so much change in such a short period of time.  Isabel certainly knew heartache, surviving the Spanish Flu of 1918 that took her sister too young at age 3.  She ultimately became a nurse and was proud to have worked in the neonatal unit at West Penn Hospital.  Isabel loved her job, helping care for the babies whose lives were fragile… the ones who grew stronger and the ones that went on to be with the Lord.

During World War II, she was not able to go off to war and serve as a nurse, however, 4 of her brothers did serve and all safely returned home.  Isabel endured tragedy in her life after losing her son, Paul, in a car accident at the young age of 33.  She also cared for her husband, Gus, during the two major strokes he experienced at ages 38 and 42, but lived strongly until the age of 75.

But despite everything, she had the blessing from her Lord.  She met her soul mate, Gus, a man who brought joy and happiness into her life.  The two married and spent their honeymoon at a fishing camp in Gowganda, Ontario.  Together they had four children, six grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren, which in addition to their cousins, nieces and nephews, all filled their lives with eternal happiness.

Isabel never felt that she was good enough for God, however, she did believe in Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior, and always valued his ability to forgive and love.  One of her favorite sayings was, “She done the best she could, but we knew that she left a legacy of spreading God’s love, the greatest thing on Earth and in life.

Beloved wife of the late Gustave O. Dering, who passed away in 1990.

Loving mother of David (Bonnie) Dering, Diane Dering, Linda (the late Mark) Patterson, and the late Paul Brian(surviving spouse, Joyce) Dering.

Adored grandmother of David (Kate) Dering, Kristen (Dave) Gustin, Susan (Michael) Sparks, Elizabeth (Kavir) Naik, Jennifer, and Paul Brian (Paul) Dering.

Treasured great-grandmother of Gus, Anna, Ellie, Jane, Isabel, Willem, Isaac, Oliver, Ben, Emerson, and Lara.

Friends welcome Thursday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory Inc; 700 Linden Ave. at Cable; East Pittsburgh, 412-824-8800, where a Funeral Service will be held Thursday at 11:30 a.m.  The service will be livestreamed on the funeral home website, by clicking the video link below the obituary.

Due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, visitors to the funeral home are required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing.

Isabel will be laid to rest in Grandview Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Women’s Choice Network, P.O. Box 15034, Pgh., PA 15237 OR Humane Society Pittsburgh, 6926 Hamilton Ave., Pgh., PA 15208