Grace M. Peterson, 90, of Middleboro, died on May 26 at Island Terrace Nursing Home, Lakeville, after a long illness. Born in Brooklyn, NY, daughter of Stewart and Anna (Ackerman) Murchie, she was raised with her first cousin, Mary Lou Hepp, who had been orphaned as a toddler. Grace always considered Mary Lou her foster sister.
During World War II, Grace met Carl F. Peterson, Jr. of Whitman while she was a nurse cadet at Brooklyn Navy Hospital and Carl was a patient. In 1946 she left nursing school to marry Carl, but after her children were grown she returned to school, became a registered nurse, and then worked in local area hospitals and nursing homes. After they married they lived in Whitman for 48 years, and during retirement they lived in DeLand, FL, during the colder months, where they lived in a home beside the Hawthorne Hills swimming pool, which was a dream come true for Grace, who was an excellent swimmer. In 2009 they returned to MA, living with their daughters in Middleboro and East Bridgewater. Carl passed away on June 18, 2014. Grace will be remembered for her kind, patient, comforting ways, her generosity, compassion and grace, and her sweet, loving smile.
Grace leaves her “sister” Mary Lou (Hepp) Dunning, of Ohio, three children, Cindy Lyman and her husband Bill Hanson, Carla Turner and her husband Bill Turner, and Carl F. Peterson, III, grandchildren Laura and Chris Turner, Jesse and Sarah Peterson, Charissa Wade, and two great-grandchildren, Shayla Brown and Naiya Wade – all from the South Shore.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services on Thursday, June 2 at 11 a.m. in the Blanchard Funeral Chapel, Plymouth Street (Rte. 58 at the rotary) Whitman. Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, June 1 from 5 to 7 p.m.