Joyce Lorraine Peterson

Joyce was born February 23rd, 1928, in Escanaba, a daughter of J. Harry and Alma (Kramer) Peterson, she grew up in Foster City and graduated from Felch High School. She continued her education at Northern Michigan College and then transferred to Michigan State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics and Nutrition. Joyce served her internship in Dietetics at St. Mary’s Hospital of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

She remained on the staff of St. Mary’s for two years, before serving as a hospital dietician in hospitals in Billings, Montana and Chicago, Illinois. She then joined the staff of the Iron Mountain Veterans Administration Hospital, subsequently advancing to Assistant Chief Dietitian of the VA Hospital in Ann Arbor.

In 1960, Joyce returned to the Upper Peninsula and enrolled at NMU, where she earned a second Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master of Arts degree in Business and Economics.

Joyce’s career continued with employment as the Upper Peninsula Labor Market Analyst for the Michigan Employment Security Commission for two years. She then joined the administrative staff of NMU as Assistant Registrar, later becoming a Systems Analyst/Programmer in the NMU Computer Center. Joyce retired from NMU following nearly 25 years of service to the university.

During her years in Marquette, Joyce was an active member of Messiah Lutheran Church, serving as one of the first few women on the church council, volunteering in the church office, singing in the Senior Choir for 47 years, and participating in the Messiah Quilters, a group that made thousands of quilts for Lutheran World Relief. Over the years she traveled to London, England, Canada, California, Washington state, Florida, Washington DC, Chicago, and lower Michigan.

Always supportive of others, she opened her home to several young people and to several cousins who lived in Marquette while attending NMU. She was always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need and was a mother figure to many. Her parents lived with her during their waning years and her younger brother spent the last eight years of his life with her.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Lowell Peterson; and sister, H. Virginia Olson.

Survivors include local nieces, Pamela Olson (Dan) Clark and Jill Peterson Mitchell; grand-niece, Rachel Mitchell; grand-nephews, Jack and Benjamin Mitchell and numerous cousins.

Memorials are preferred to the Messiah Lutheran Church Endowment Fund or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

A combined celebration of life, honoring the lives of Joyce and her sister, H. Virginia Olson, who passed in January, will take place in the spring/summer and will be announced at a later date.

Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services is serving the family, where condolences may be expressed online at fassbenderswansonhansen.com.