Mary Margaret Peterson

Mary Margaret spent a summer in Alaska in her youth before moving to Fresno, Calif. with family. It was in Fresno where she met Robert Allan Watts and they had two children, Robert Todd Watts (1964) and Stephanie Christine Watts (Cross) (1966).

From 1967 to 1972, the family lived in Glen Ellyn, Ill., a suburb of Chicago.

Moving to Santa Cruz in 1972, Mary Margaret put her talents to use in the area of couture. For many years to come, she designed and produced the highest quality original clothing and attire for clients in the Bay Area and beyond, including everything and anything from bikinis to wedding dresses. In the early 2000's, Mary Margaret traded in her sewing machines for a mortgage license; this second career offered new opportunities, both professionally and personally, although she never entirely gave up couture. In 2016, her crowning achievement was the planning, design and creation of her granddaughter's wedding dress and last-minute modifications to her granddaughter-in-law's wedding dress, four months later.

Throughout her second career, Mary Margaret also was the primary caregiver for her daughter Stephanie, who passed in 2018 at the age of 51.

During her life, Mom was there for us at every turn, during every storm, never flinching and always confident. She is survived by her son, two grandchildren, and three (soon to be four) great granddaughters.

There are not enough words to honor her in this loss and this brief summary of her life does not scratch the surface of the woman she was, the mother she was, the friend that she was, and all of the ways she impacted every person with whom she came in contact. She was the ultimate role model for the young women within her sphere of influence and she taught me as her son more than I could hope to retain about goodness, kindness, patience, perspective, and remembering to breathe.

Mom was my best friend and I was not prepared to lose her so suddenly and unexpectedly. I will be writing more outside the constraints of post-life tributes to try and do justice to her legacy.

Services will be private.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MtViewMortuary.com for the PETERSON family.