Obituary of Marian K. Peterson

Marian K. Peterson, 93, formerly of Sunset Bay, died at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at Heritage Village Rehab & Skilled Nursing. She was born May 9, 1918 in Jamestown, a daughter of the late Herbert Jay and Lillian Anderson Kidder. Marian graduated from Jamestown High School in 1936, having played cello in the orchestra and being a member of the A'Cappella choir and National Honor Society. She was employed by the former Field and Wright Furniture Co. in Jamestown before she married Marshall W. Peterson on December 27, 1946. Marian studied piano and later pipe organ with Anna Knowlton, playing for summer Sunday morning church services. She was a lifelong member of Christ First United Methodist Church where she taught church school, sang in the choir and belonged to the Christ First Senior group, United Methodist Women and Prayer and Study Group. In 1959, the family moved to Sunset Bay, Bemus Point to care for Marian's mother-in-law. There she taught piano students in her home, having as many 27 pupils at one time. Marian also worked at the Empire State Mutual Insurance Co. Marian was involved in the Chautauqua Day Care Center, Church Women United, Meals on Wheels and the Music Study Club, for which she served as president and secretary. She and her husband, Marshall volunteered at Reach-Out Children's Ministry and served as care givers for a number of elderly people over the years. After living in the Jamestown area for most of her life, Marian spent three years with her daughter, Debbie in Maplecrest, NY. Marian was preceded in death by her husband, Marshall on November 15, 1998; three sisters, Louise Lundberg, Helen Massey and Lucille Lown; and nephew, Harold Herbert Massey. Survivors include two sons, Kirk (Diane) Peterson of Lake Clear, NY, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Marshall (Sarah) Peterson of Fletcher, OK and her daughter, Deborah (Dennis) Hitchcock of Maplecrest, NY; nine grandchildren: Elizabeth (Steven) Guglielmi of Lake Placid, NY, Laura Peterson of Plattsburg, NY, William (Stephanie) Hitchcock of Maplecrest, Kelly (Jeff) Fallon of Berlin, MA, Kristin (Thomas) Corbett of Windham, NY, Maj. Nathanael (Carla) Peterson, Commander Co. D, The Old Guard, Arlington, Military District of Columbia, Katrina Peterson, visiting Professor at Oklahoma State University, Rebekah Peterson at Tuskegee School of Veterinary Medicine in Alabama and Benjamin Peterson, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado. Also surviving are six great-grandchildren: James Guglielmi of Lake Placid, William Andrew Hitchcock of Maplecrest, Lillian Fallon of Berlin, MA, Sadie Corbett of Windham and Ava Christiana and Jonathan Peterson, both of Washington, DC; two brothers, Robert Kidder of Frewsburg and John (Renetta) Kidder of Minneapolis, MN; and many cherished nieces nephews and friends, including Seth Massey of Jamestown, the son of her deceased nephew, Herb. A memorial service will be held at later date to be announced by the Lind Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Christ First United Methodist Church, 663 Lakeview Ave., Jamestown, NY 14701.