Carolyn June Peterson

Carolyn June Wood Peterson, 86, of Menifee, California, was called home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on October 4, 2025, exactly 60 years to the date of her own mother's passing in 1965.

Carolyn was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma, to Clifford and Bernice Wood on October 23, 1938. She attended school in Holdenville where she graduated from Fairview High School in 1957. She then continued on to East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, where she earned her degree in Elementary Education. She began her teaching career in Marlow, Oklahoma. Two years later she moved to Wichita, Kansas, to take a teaching job there.

Carolyn Wood and Claude Peterson met at church in Wichita. They were married on Carolyn's birthday on October 23, 1965. A few years later they welcomed two children, Torri and Patrick. After staying at home with her young children for a few years, she returned to teaching. She would spend the majority of her career teaching 1st grade at Rex Elementary School in Haysville, Kansas.

Carolyn and her family attended Metropolitan Baptist Church in Wichita where she and Claude were members for 45 years. There she served with the children's ministry and several others. After moving from Wichita to San Jacinto, California, in 2009 to be near their children, she and Claude attended First Baptist Church where they happily served others both in the church and in the community sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

For some years after retirement, while still living in Kansas, Claude and Carolyn worked with Campers on Mission, a ministry composed of Christian campers and RVers who serve the Lord by traveling to various locations assisting at children and youth camps, church construction assignments, and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ through outreach in the community.

Carolyn loved spending time with friends and family. She enjoyed several hobbies from reading mystery novels to sewing and staying busy with other handiwork projects and crafts. For many years she spent time researching her family's genealogy along with a few of her cousins. Carolyn tended her family's vegetable garden with Claude, and together they cheered on the University of Kansas basketball team.

She was a loving wife and mother. Carolyn was a kind person with a great sense of humor, a hard worker, and a good and loyal friend.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her son Patrick Peterson and her parents Clifford and Bernice Wood.

She is survived by her beloved husband of nearly 60 years Claude Peterson, daughter Torri Nolte (Eric), grandchildren Rachel Nolte, Jessica Garcia (Dylan), and Michael Peterson; and brother Phillip Wood (Belva).

A memorial was held in Holdenville, Oklahoma, on October 20, 2025. A second memorial will take place on Friday, December 12, 2025, at 11:00 am, at First Baptist Church, 861 E. Evans, San Jacinto, CA 92583, with Pastor Stacy Johnson officiating.