Marjorie Evelyn Peterson

Marjorie Evelyn Ayres was born to Albert and Burnice Ayres on August 30, 1922. The family lived in the North Park neighborhood of Seattle. Her father worked as a machinist for the Seattle Milwaukee Railroad Company. Her mother worked as a seamstress.

Marjorie attended Sunday school from a young age. She enjoyed the music, singing and stories told by the missionaries. Marjorie was captivated by accounts of the adults and children they taught and their slide shows of distant places. Marjorie thought that she, too, would be a missionary one day. In addition to being enthralled by the life of a missionary, Marjorie was also drawn to music, particularly singing and the piano. Any time there was a piano nearby she would gravitate to it. Marjorie was given piano lessons by a neighbor in exchange for her mother doing mending and dressmaking. Marjorie spent the rest of her life playing piano for friends and at many family events.

Marjorie was introduced to her future husband, Dell Peterson, by her best friend at the Marysville Strawberry Festival in 1937. She fondly remembered Dell teaching her to drive his Model B-Ford coupe. One of the conditions Marjorie’s mother made was that in order for Dell to date her daughter, he would have to go to church with the family every Sunday. Dell would soon become a fixture at church and made many friends within the congregation. Dell had a large extended family to which Marjorie was lovingly accepted.

Dell and Marjorie were married three years later and soon purchased a new home in North Seattle on Greenwood Avenue. Dell was an apprentice plumber and did the work for the contractor who built their home. World War II came along and Dell wanted to join the Army Construction Battalion, also known as the Seabees, but was assigned immediately at the Sand Point Navy Base in Seattle under the Civil Service Commission as a plumber. Following the war, he started Dell E. Peterson Plumbing and Heating out of his basement and garage. Marjorie became his office assistant and, later, the business’s accountant.

Between 1941 and 1952 Marjorie and Dell had four children: Evelyne, Ray, Marilyn and Gary. When Dell purchased property for his business along Aurora Avenue, the growing family moved to a home in the Broadview neighborhood of Seattle.

The Petersons were a boating family and started out with a 23-foot boat called the Take Off. They upgraded later to a Higgins known as the MarDell. Finally, the family settled on a 28-foot Carver with a flying bridge and christened it the MarDell II. The family made many trips to the San Juan Islands throughout the years. In addition to the family trips, Dell joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary and taught safe-boating practices to the public at the Edmonds Yacht Club. Marjorie was the assistant and planner for many a yacht club activity.

Dell passed away in 1973. Marjorie and the family pulled together to support one another and to help the plumbing and heating business survive. When the business was sold, Marjorie began a new hobby in the antique business. This brought her much joy and expanded her circle of friends. She also developed her artist skills and painted many scenes of nature that have been shared with the family. Soon came more grandchildren and then great-grandchildren.

Marjorie had a heart attack in 1995 and heart valve replacement in 2011. She recovered well from both events. In March 2016, she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. She died peacefully on July 10, 2016. Her courage, grace and faith in “going home” to meet her Lord and Savior was a lovely testimony for her family and friends.

Marjorie is survived by her brother Al Ayres and family; her children Evelyne Marwood, Ray Peterson and Gary Peterson; her daughters-in-law Avis and Sally; her grandchildren Kelly, Kristi, Heather, Travis, Jesse, Michelle, Brian; her great-grandchildren Caitlin, Ryan, Caleb, Clayton, Noah, Ean, Hailey, Finnegan, David, Jasmine and Nadine.

A Celebration of Marjorie's life will be held at 1PM on Wednesday, August 3, 2016 at Floral Hills Celebration Life Chapel, 409 Filbert Road, Lynnwood, WA 98036. Light refreshments will be served during a continued time of sharing and fellowship following services.

Arrangements under the direction of Purdy & Walters at Floral Hills Cemetery and Funeral Home.