Mary Evelyn Peterson

A great mom, beloved and happy wife, career educator, Oxford comma buff, and lifelong baseball fan, Mary Peterson slipped away from us quietly on October 30th. 

She flew out on the wings of her adored Blue Jays just hours after their historic World Series Game 5 win over the Dodgers.

Then took the second star to the right and flew straight on til morning. 

Born Mary Steward in Oliver, BC, on July 30, 1931, her early life was marked by hardship and the loss of both parents. But there was still time for listening to baseball on the radio, and for seeing it for the first time on television in a local storefront window. It was there that Mary learned the joys and heartbreak of hating the New York Yankees. And for meeting a certain young trumpet player visiting with his school band from the boomtown of New Westminster. Just weeks ago—eighty years after it happened—she described that meeting with one word: “Kaboom.” 

More on that later. 

Moving to the bright lights of Vancouver straight out of high school, Mary went to UBC, married young (not to the trumpet player), and later got her teaching certificate, which served her well when she became a single mom raising two kids. It was at UBC where she made fast friends like Ruth Stobbs and Irene Simonson, and built a life of laughter and friendship that echoed through all the decades to come. 

There followed her chapter teaching English and social studies in Alberta, where she moved upon her marriage to Grant Garossino. And soon two more kids arrived.

In Alberta she is remembered still by former students as a favourite teacher—who was smart, funny, beautiful and fashionable. And as a stickler who never let students coast. Yet Mary saved her best work inspiring non-academic kids or the ones having trouble at home. She had a special bond with outsiders and underdogs. It was because she loved them, she said recently, with a pleasure undimmed by the years.

It could be said that she saw herself in them. Whatever it was, Mary was one of those teachers. 

It was in Alberta that the figure skating thing first took hold. Mary shepherded (then drove to never-ending pre-dawn & after-dark practices, relentlessly fundraised, and then moved to Toronto to support) her two youngest kids as their competitive ice-dancing careers blossomed. She got them to provincial and national titles, to international competitions across North America, in Russia and Europe, and finally to competing on home ice at the Calgary Olympics. 

Moving to Toronto brought new friendships and opportunities for Mary, including more teaching, and then the chance to teach in the south of France, which she did over two spring semesters, igniting a passion for the French language and culture. Not to mention great wines and cheeses. 

Finally it was time to come home to Vancouver, the city she’d loved at first sight in the 1940’s. There were grandchildren there now, and well, all the family just kind of drifted west.

No more teaching awaited her this time, but a new life as a realtor. It was a big adjustment, though as with everything Mary tried, she brought enthusiasm and an unsinkable spirit. As always, she found laughter and enduring friendships, especially with partners Nancy Chalmers and Susan Hilton. 

And that young trumpet player from New Westminster? Somehow across the years and decades these two had never really forgotten one another. Earle Peterson and Mary finally picked up that thread again in the 1980’s, then tied a bow with it. United by a love of travel, great food, wine, baseball and each other, they shared over 35 years as a devoted couple, and were married in August, 2000. 

Together they saw Europe, the UK, the Mediterranean, and NYC. They toured American Civil War sites and cruised Hawaii. They went to the Blue Jays’ spring training camp in Dunedin, Florida, and saw ball games in New York, Baltimore, Seattle, and of course Toronto. They had deep and enduring ties to friends in Seattle, connected through Irene. 

Mary even saw a game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles with her girls and grandson. She left that small dusty Okanagan town in the 1940’s and lived to toast friends on the sun-drenched Riviera and tour the SpaceX manufacturing facility in LA with family. 

As Mary declined in later years, Earle was her tireless and adored companion, who faithfully brought her 4 pm martini every day. She couldn’t bear to be away from him, and was able to remain at home until just her final weeks. 

Mary was every inch the woman described by her students: whip smart, funny, inspiring, beautiful, and full of style, even in her leanest years, of which there was no shortage. The irony is that she was liked and admired more than she ever knew. She had courage, grit, and an appetite for adventure. She was still prodding her daughters to book another Mediterranean cruise up until the serious pain meds kicked in. 

Apart from the loss of her parents, Mary’s greatest tragedy was the 2007 death of her beloved oldest son, Gord. 

Mary is mourned by her husband Earle Peterson, daughters Sandy Garossino(Ravi) and Karyn Garossino (Andrew) and her son Rod Garossino (Kim), her grandchildren, Jenni, Christine, Ava, Michael, Claire, Mac, Dan, Julia, Erik, and Brooke, and nine great-grandchildren. She also leaves Earle’s children Devorah (Ian) and Brett (Denise). 

Mary’s family is so grateful for the exceptional care she received from her family physician, Dr. Brad Fritz, the VGH Palliative Unit, and Vancouver Hospice Society. Her home caregiving team of Maddie, Merriam, Mehri, Shayne, Lily, Katie, and Aki were like family to her, and by her side to the end. 

Mary was very touched and comforted by her visits with her niece Jan Stoyko, her friend Ruth’s daughter Rebecca Finlay, and Irene’s daughter Donna Leggate. 

And from wherever she is, Mary will always be rooting for her Blue Jays. 

A Celebration of Life will be held in the weeks ahead, with details to come. 

In lieu of flowers, Mary would be so pleased by any donations to Covenant House. 

Obituary author: Sandy Garossino