Worcester: Eunice H. (Peterson) Koontz 86, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at The Willows in Worcester surrounded by her loving family. She leaves her two daughters Karen Stirlen and husband Gene of Colchester, CT; and Katherine Cuddy of Lancaster, MA; a son, James Erik and his wife, Suretha of Simsbury, CT; much loved grandchildren- Kristina and Kathleen Stirlen, Jennifer, Michelle, and Edward Cuddy, and Alison, Erik, Sunai, and Nicolaas Koontz; two sisters, Grace Wright and husband Douglas of Sun City, AZ and Norma Kosche of Seattle, WA; sister-in-law Joy Kelley and her husband Arthur of CA; nieces and nephews, grandnephews, and cousins in the Chicago area and in Sweden; and also her companion Everett Harrington. She is predeceased by her husband of 58 years, James W. Koontz.
Eunice was born in Motala, Sweden, daughter of Erik and Anna-Maja (Bengston) Peterson, and grew up in Chicago. She Graduated from Senn High School and attended North Park College. She was an executive secretary for The World Book Encyclopedia at its home offices in Chicago, and later worked many years at several Raytheon facilities in Massachusetts. She was a member of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Marlborough, MA. For most of her life, she sang in church choirs, and loved sacred and classical music, history, and reading. Her Swedish heritage was very important to her, and in recent years she had enjoyed being a member of Nordic Lodge #611 in Worcester. Eunice delighted in traveling, especially to Scandinavia and most of Europe.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 11am at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 472 Lincoln Street, Marlborough. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the church or to the Salvation Army. To leave an online condolence message, please click on link.