Bernice Mae Lord Peterson of Hillsville, Virginia, passed away in her sleep on August 15, 2021. Mrs. Peterson was born on May 9, 1920, in North Vassalboro, Maine. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dayton M. Peterson, her parents Bessie Clarke Lord and Carl B. Lord, and a beloved daughter-in-law Karen H. Peterson. She is survived by her two sons, Jack Peterson of Annapolis, Maryland, and Brian and his wife, Hilary Peterson of Omaha, Nebraska, and a daughter, Gail and her husband, David Turpin of Hillsville, Virginia. Grandchildren and their spouses include Kristen and Chris Athanitis, Laura and Jason Fayer, both of Annapolis, Maryland, Maggie Peterson of Baltimore, Maryland, Derek and April Peterson of Omaha, Nebraska, and Jennifer and Jeremiah Johnson of Galax, Virginia, and her 7 great-grandchildren, Seth and Sara Holderfield, Julia and Owen Fayer, Zoe Peterson, Katerina Athanitis, and McKenna Johnson.

Mrs. Peterson graduated from Winslow High School in Maine in 1937 and Westbrook Junior College in 1939. She worked in the office at C. F. Hathaway Company in Waterville, Maine, from 1939-1941 and in Washington, DC, 1941-1943 as a secretary in personnel for the Bureau of Ordinance, Navy Department. She married her husband at her parent's home in Maine on August 26, 1943, and moved to Joplin, Missouri, where Mr. Peterson was stationed at Camp Crowder until April 1946. Bernice was a stay-at-home mom from 1946-1965 when she became secretary for the head of the Political Science Department at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Thanks to her hard work Jack, Brian and Gail all graduated from K.S.U. After retiring, Mr. and Mrs. Peterson purchased the Ben Franklin Store in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1971 and then the Ben Franklin Store in Hillsville, Virginia, in 1977. Mrs. Peterson has lived in Hillsville at Wheatland, now called Commonwealth Assisted Living, since 2006.

Mrs. Peterson donated her body to the Virginia Anatomical Program. There will be a memorial at a future time when all her family and friends can gather to remember this remarkable lady.