Mary Ellen (Johnson) Peterson, much loved wife of Bervin C. Peterson, was welcomed home to Jesus’ arms on September 24, 2016, at the age of 72. She was a woman of faith who loved the Lord with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Mary was born on December 8, 1943, to the late Carl and Evelyn (nee James) Johnson of Chicago and was raised in Wilmette, IL. She attended New Trier High School, followed by North Park College and Swedish Covenant School of Nursing (BSN, RN) where she worked as a head nurse before retiring to raise a family.

She considered herself privileged to be a stay-at-home mom in Northbrook where she embraced the art of homemaking and filled her home with love throughout 49 years of marriage. She and Bervin welcomed Luke (Emily), Julia (Drew), Karl, Andrew (Kimberly), Johanna (Drew), Stina (Evan), and Marta.

The constant thread running through Mary’s life was the Moody Church in Chicago, where she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior in Sunday school as a nine-year-old. Later she served as a teacher in that Sunday school, a youth sponsor alongside her husband, the nursery committee chairwoman, a deaconess, and a mentor of young mothers in the Mom to Mom ministry. She also worked in the By the Hand Club for Kids, tutoring children in need, served with the Caris Crisis Pregnancy Center, and was in the leadership of Community Bible Study in Arlington Heights for 25 years.

Mary was a champion at hospitality, frequently hosting family gatherings, bridal and baby showers, prayer groups, Bible studies, and any other get-togethers looking for a place to meet. She was active with her children and grandchildren until the week before she died, welcoming the cleanup that inevitably followed time with these young children. She was always up for games, puzzles, or trips to the family’s home in Bethany Beach, Michigan, to play at the beach. Mary was never without a hug or word of encouragement for others – or maybe just gum and candy for those children and grandchildren she loved so much, who loved her right back.

Mary lived by the credo that tending to the needs of others was more important than tending to herself, and she did so every day. She is survived by her husband, her 7 children, 11 grandchildren with a 12^th due in 2017, her sister Margaret (the late Nate Nyman), brother Tom Johnson (Leslie Jones) and many dear cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to gather on Wednesday, September 28, for visitation at 10:00 and the funeral service at 11:00, at Moody Church (1630 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614). Interment will be at Rosehill Cemetery (5800 North Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60660)

In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made to Moody Church or Community Bible Study (790 Stout Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80921).