Mary J. Petersen

Mary Petersen passed away peacefully on Sept 16, 2025 at the age of 77. This isn't just a story about a woman who passed away; it's a story about a life lived with a quiet purpose, a life that touched countless others. You see, Mary Petersen, wasn't a politician, or a CEO, or a general. She was something far more important: a teacher, a librarian, a gentle guardian of books, birds, and flowers. She made the world a little brighter, one child, one book, one bloom at a time.

Mary was born in Chicago, Illinois, on June 15, 1948, the daughter of Doris and Paul Fisher. The city lights may have twinkled, but it was in the pages of books that she found her true home. And she found another home, too, on August 30, 1969, when she married her husband, Dan. Theirs was a long and happy journey, a partnership built on shared love and respect.

For decades, Mary shaped young minds. First as an elementary school teacher, then as a children's librarian. She believed in the power of stories, in the way a book could open up a whole new world to a child. And she shared that same passion with the world around her, whether she was identifying a songbird in her backyard or tending to her garden, coaxing life and color from the soil. She was a quiet soul, perhaps, but her influence was anything but.

Mary is survived by her devoted husband, Dan; her sons, Mark (married to Charlotte Hendrickson) and Doug (married to Michelle Vanston); and her four grandchildren, Sage, Lars, Max, and Emma, who will carry on her legacy of kindness and curiosity. She also leaves behind her sisters, Paula Quinnert and Susan Fisher, and her brother, David Fisher.

A celebration of Mary's life will be held at Cress Funeral Home (3610 Speedway Road) in Madison, Wisconsin, on October 11, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Following the service, a lunch will be held at a separate location to share more stories and memories.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to Bernie's Book Bank (https://www.berniesbookbank.org/) because in the end, that's what Mary was all about—sharing the magic of a good story. And what a beautiful story her life was.