Malene Carol Peterson of Okemos, Michigan passed away of progressive Alzheimer's on June 10, 2024, at the age of 86.

Marlene was born in Nemacolin, Pennsylvania, the first child of Michael and Mary Yanosh born on October 29, 1937. She lived there for seventeen years until the family moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1955, when she was in her junior year of high school. She attended Shaw High School where she graduated in 1956. After graduation she accepted employment at Bailey Meter Company in the Engineering Department. Marlene met the love of her life, Kent Peterson, in 1956 and they were married in 1959 where they lived in Willoughby on the Lake, Ohio. In 1961 they moved to Anchorage, Alaska where Kent was stationed in the US Army and lived off base in Mt. View, Alaska. Marlene worked at the Anchorage Daily Times newspaper until 1962 when Kent was discharged from service in the Army from Seattle, Washington. They then moved back to the Cleveland area to be near family and settled in Wickliffe, Ohio where she obtained a job at Huron Road Hospital. In 1967 they moved to Mount Clemens, Michigan where Kent obtained a job with the Budd Company in Detroit. They enjoyed making many friends and playing golf at Burning Tree Golf and Country Club. They lived there for twenty - one years. In 1986 they moved to Okemos, Michigan where they spent the rest of their lives. Marlene was a member of St. Martha's Church since it's inception holding mass in the auditorium of Okemos High School. Marlene was a homemaker and Kent retired in 1999. During their retirement they spent their winters at the Buttonwood Bay RV Resort in Sebring, Floridia where they came to make many wonderful friends. Marlene's passion was enjoying all her Yorkshire Terriers, Koppy, Sharisse, Cody, Kalie, and Jeni. Marlene enjoyed playing all the beautiful challenging golf courses at the resort. She was skilled in crocheting and made many beautiful afghans. She also enjoyed bowling and oil painting. Others are now enjoying many of her paintings. She received great enjoyment cooking Polish foods, especially Halupki (stuffed cabbage) and Pierogi dumplings.

Marlene was preceded in death by her husband Kent Peterson after 64 years of marriage, her father, Michael, and mother Mary Yanosh (Haynali) as well as her sibling, brother, Robert Yanosh. Marlene is survived by her sister Cynthia Schmidt (Yanosh), Cynthia's husband Robert Schmidt, niece, Victoria Grabowski (Schmidt), and nephews, Matthew, Erick and Jonathon Schmidt as well as great- nephews Lukas, Zander, Everett, and Edison Schmidt.

A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11am on Saturday, June 22, 2024 at St. Daniel Catholic Church in Clarkston, Michigan. The family will receive visitors one half hour prior to mass, beginning at 10:30am. Private interment at Western Reserve Memorial Gardens in Chesterland, Ohio.