Petra Morrison

Petra Morrison, daughter and granddaughter of Ketchum Pioneers, peacefully passed away March 20, 2021. Her grandparents were among the early settlers in the Wood River Valley. Her grandfather – a Swede who changed his name to August Farnlun after immigrating to the United States – brought his wife and four children to the area in 1894. Two years later, they bought a ranch north of the smelter up Warm Springs and in 1916 purchased the second ranch on what is now the Weyyakin subdivision south of Ketchum. On April 7, 1925, Petra was born in a four room house on the south ranch to O.S (Smith) and Audrey Farnlun. That year there was a late snow, so the doctor did not get there before she was born, but as she would prove for the rest of her life, she was strong and determined to survive. Petra was a lifelong resident of Ketchum and attended Ketchum Grade School, Hailey High School and Business School in Boise. She met her husband Frank during World War II when he served with the Naval commissary staff at Sun Valley Lodge and she worked in the personnel office. They had 2 children, Wayne and Christina. After the war, she worked in the personnel office at Sun Valley, the First Security Bank and finished her career as a district clerk for the Ketchum Ranger District.

Over the years, Petra served as president of the Ketchum PTA, a Camp Fire and Boy Scout den leader, an officer of the American Legion Auxillary, a founding member of the Ketchum/Sun Valley Historical Museum and the Senior Connection, Noble Grand of the Snowdrop Rebekah Lodge and President of the Rebekah Assembly of Idaho and member of the Odd Fellow Scholarship committee. She was a life time member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church serving as a Sunday School Teacher, early choir member and part of the building committee for the church on Sun Valley road. She was honored by the city of Ketchum to be Wagon Days Grand Marshall with her sister Ella Bennett and in 2007 was chosen as a member of the Blaine County Heritage Court.

She loved working for the Forest Service in the Wood River/Sawtooth Area of Idaho. She hiked most of the trails around the area and wrote a history of the area for the Forest Service and a family history for her family. She was kind and loving to all who knew her and will be missed by her family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Frank, and her sister, Ella Bennett. She is survived by her son, Wayne (Margie) of Boise and her daughter, Christina (Charles) Thompson of Allen, Texas, a niece, Dawn Johnson of Sawtooth City, 6 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and many loved cousins. A celebration of life will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Ketchum, the Senior Connection or the Wood River Odd Fellows & Rebekah Scholarship Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation, 210 W State Street, Boise, ID, 83702.