Barbara Jean Peterson

Barbara Jean Peterson of Salem passed away peacefully in Reading, Massachusetts on Sunday morning, July 30, 2023, after a prolonged illness. She was 95 years of age.

Barbara was the daughter of Winfield and Grace Francis of Salem and was born on Saturday, April 4, 1928, in Beverly, Massachusetts. She had wonderful memories of growing up in Salem where she graduated from Salem High School surrounded by relatives and neighbors that became life-long friends. She moved to Beverly after her marriage to her husband. She moved to Reading to be closer to her son, his wife, and their children in her later years.

Barbara was the beloved wife of the late William Peterson who passed in 1991. She met her husband when she was in High School and married “Bill” shortly after his discharge from the Army Air Corp in World War II. She was married to him for over 40 years before he passed, and they will now be able to be reunited again. She is survived by her son Scott Peterson, his wife Kathleen, along with their children Nathan and Samantha, as well as many cousins and lifelong friends who she enjoyed spending time with.

She loved animals and caring for dogs was a big part of her life. She loved collecting elephant figurines and displayed them prominently wherever she lived. She loved attending Boston Brave’s and Boston Red Sox baseball games in her younger years and then watching the Boston Red Sox on television as she got older. Ted Williams was her idol, and she followed his entire career. When Big Papi supplied the spark to win the 2004 World Series Title, she was thrilled because she had waited her entire life to see the Red Sox win a Title. When the Red Sox were not playing, she was excited to watch the Patriots and Tom Brady rack up Super Bowl Titles.

One of her favorite past-times was eating out with family and friends, having breakfast at the Beverly Airport Café, brunch at the Wenham Tea House, or a lobster roll at the Village Restaurant in Essex. Her husband’s family had a farm in NH which she loved visiting and enjoying spending time with his family. Barbara did not travel much outside of New England, but her love of politics inspired a trip to Washington DC on her 70th birthday accompanied by her son where she was able to see the Capitol, the Smithsonian Institution, and Arlington Cemetery.

Professionally, Barbara was a bookkeeper, initially for the Merchants Warren Bank in Salem and later for several other banks such as BayBank, Fleet, and the Essex Bank. All the while finding time to raise her son and care for her parents. Bookkeeping was a job, but after her parents passed, she found her true passion being a nanny and caring for children of a local family and spending time with and caring for her grandchildren. She was a warm, loyal, caring daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and a friend to many. Barbara will be deeply missed by all whose lives she touched.

Family and friends are kindly invited to gather and share memories with her family on Saturday August 26th, 2023, from 2 pm to 5 pm at ANDERSON-BRYANT FUNERAL HOME, 4 Common Street, Stoneham, MA 02180. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in Barbara’s memory to the Jimmy Fund, a cause that helps children and was supported by the Red Sox and Ted Williams.