Jean S. Petersen

Jean was born on November 30, 1919, to Harold and Alice Sabin in Brooklyn, New York. Jean grew up in Long Island, New York, and then transitioned to New Paltz (a teacher’s college) but left before graduating to marry John Kenneth Petersen, a US Air Force navigator.

Jean and John were married on February 14,1943, officiated by her father, Reverend Harold G. Sabin. In 1944, they welcomed their son, John (Jack) Lauritz Petersen, and a year and a half later welcomed Joan Karen Petersen. Their family expanded as they welcomed Kathryn Alice Petersen in 1949, and then adopted Ruth Elaine Petersen (Wan Kum Lun) who was born in 1953.

After having her children, Jean returned to school to finish her degree in education. She graduated from Hofstra and started her career as a primarily first-grade teacher.

Jean was heavily involved in her community through Meals on Wheels, her church, and in service to others when she lived in New York and New Jersey. She loved to host events, especially a perfectly executed Thanksgiving or Christmas meal for her family. In retirement, she enjoyed learning new recipes, daily exercises, and she traveled the 48 contingent states in a recreational vehicle (RV) with her husband. She loved exploring the world, traveling extensively, and experiencing new cultures.

In 1997, Jean moved to her beloved Juno Beach to live at The Waterford where she was an active community member until her 100th birthday. Jean loved walking the beach, volunteering at the turtle sanctuary, attending vespers, greeting new friends, and hosting social events.

Jean was predeceased by her husband, John Petersen, her parents, Harold and Alice Sabin, and her younger brother Robert Sabin. She is survived by her children, Jack (and Deanna) Petersen, Joan Petersen Arnold, Kathryn Petersen Boyles (and Doug) , and Elaine (and Mark) Foran. She has seven granddaughters (Kimberly, Jennifer, Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Heather, and Amy) and 14 great-grandchildren (Madison, Wyatt, Nathaniel, Matthew, Eoin, Kurt, Zoe, Kylie, Lexie, Liam, Amelia, Cuin, Maeryn, and Declan).

Services will be private for the family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice, as she received exceptional end-of-life care, or to Geneva Point Camp, a Christian Conference Camp, that she loved dearly and spent many summers with family and friends.