Marilyn M. Petersen

December 15, 1930 – January 6, 2019

Marilyn Marjorie Petersen was born December 15, 1930, in Springfield, Illinois to parents Walter and Ruth Petersen. At the end of her first-grade year, the family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where she lived and attended school through her high school graduation.

She began playing the piano at age 6 and by age 9 was playing for church services. This became a vital portion of her life having played the piano or organ in some capacity for five churches: Shiloh Baptist Church, Hillandale Baptist Church, Adelphi/Burnt Mills Seventh-day Adventist Church, Silver Spring Seventh-day Adventist Church, and the Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church. Throughout her lifetime she was a frequently requested accompanist or organist for soloists, weddings, and funerals. Even at age 88, she was playing at Hillhaven Assisted Living, accompanying the Glee Club as well as playing for the residents.

She graduated from Indiana Academy in 1947. She pursued many majors—pre-nursing, piano, French, and English before finishing with a degree in Education from the University of Maryland. She eventually also completed her Masters in 1970 by attending evening classes and summers. Marilyn taught school for two years in Prince Georges County and then moved to Montgomery Country Public Schools where she taught for 39 years. She taught grades 4, 5, or 6 and worked in only five schools during that entire time. She retired in 1993 from teaching and by 1994 pursued a second career in hospital chaplaincy at Washington Adventist Hospital where she volunteered until 2008.

Ten years ago, an unexpected accident in a grocery store left her wheelchair bound. That did not deter her. She looked for ways to help people through correspondence, music, and phone calls. Marilyn knew how to express interest in people and show she genuinely cared.

She passed to her rest after a brief illness. Marilyn is survived by her daughter, Merle; son-in-law, Tim Poirier; granddaughter Ellen Musselman (John); granddaughter Lisa Froelich (Mark); and great-grandson Connor Musselman, who was the joy of her life.

A visitation will be held at Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home on January 18, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. with a service on January 19, at 3:00 p.m., at the Spencerville Adventist Church. A reception will follow.

Marilyn loved flowers. If you wish to honor her by sending flowers to the funeral home, they are welcome. After the service the flowers will be distributed to homebound individuals—a ministry she particularly felt important.

If you’d rather make a donation in her memory, you may support the band/music program at either Spencerville Adventist Academy (2502 Spencerville Rd, Spencerville, MD 20868) or Atholton Adventist Academy (6520 Martin Road, Columbia, Maryland 21044) where her granddaughter, Lisa, continues her music legacy (please note on your gift that the donation is in Marilyn Petersen’s memory).