Marlene Louise (Buettell) Peterson

Born December 2, 1935, in Sycamore, Illinois, Marlene Louise Buettell had myriad fond memories from her childhood. She returned to Sycamore often to see old friends and visit old haunts.

Marlene received a degree in dietetics from Iowa State University in 1957. She married James A. Peterson on September 8, 1956, while they were both undergraduate students at Iowa State. Shortly after graduation, they moved to Seattle, and then the Azores Islands. The Azores would hold a special place in her heart for the rest of her life.

In 1965, Marlene and Jim settled in Morris, Illinois. Although Marlene worked part-time as a dietician at the Grundy County Nursing Home, her primary vocation was managing a household—and making a home. She enjoyed, and was good at, the daily domestic tasks that enabled family life to hum along like her well-oiled Singer sewing machine.

Marlene was active in the community as a 4-H leader, and as a board member for both We Care and Mobile Meals. She was extremely involved in the Presbyterian Church. Locally, she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, and served multiple times as a trustee, deacon, and elder. She served on numerous committees at the Presbytery level and was a delegate to the national General Assembly in 1996—a role she prepared for with much prayer and an open heart and mind.

Marlene and Jim loved to travel, across the country and around the globe. Marlene liked camping in the National Parks, Glacier Park being a particular favorite. But she also enjoyed Caribbean cruises with her parents and siblings, safaris in Africa, train rides in India, cobbled streets in Europe, and penguin encounters in Antarctica. She took pictures of it all. She loved looking through the photo journals she created, reliving her adventures to 100 countries and seven continents.

In 2007 Marlene and Jim moved to Barrington, IL, to be closer to their children. She continued her life-long habit of sustaining relationships. She hosted dinners, corresponded by letter and email, chatted on the phone, delivered homemade muffins, creampuffs, and cookies to countless people throughout her life. She made a point to visit people, whether walking to a neighbor’s or traveling across the country. She was a good friend.

Later in life, she took up painting, a hobby that brought her joy while her eyesight permitted. She liked to read. She did beautiful needlework. She loved a good pun. And every morning, bright and early, rain or shine, she would go for her two-mile walk.

Marlene is survived by a daughter, Jennifer (John) Streit, and two sons, Kirk (Kelly) Peterson and Eric (Sara) Peterson, as well as six grandchildren, their spouses, and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brother, and her sister.

There will be a memorial service at the Presbyterian Church of Barrington at 10:30 on Friday, June 10th, with a time of visitation beginning at 9:30.

Memorial gifts may be made to the music program at the Presbyterian Church of Barrington, 6 Brinker Rd., Barrington, IL 60010, or to the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund .