Josephine H. Peterson

Josephine Hoiles Peterson, born April 6, 1918, the much loved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother; affectionately known as "Who Who" to three generations of family and their friends, passed away early Sunday morning.
Born, in Alliance, Ohio, Jo was the daughter of Alice C. (Jones) and Frank A. Hoiles, Publisher of The Alliance Review, 1919 - 1936.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald A Peterson, Publisher of The Alliance Review, 1957 - 1992; siblings: Arthur Hoiles, Winifred Coe, Margaret Gose, Samuel Hoiles and Frank Hoiles.
She is survived by her son, Donald A. Peterson, Jr. and his wife, Dianna (Sotcan) Peterson of Alliance, Oh and Jill (Peterson) McCarty and her husband, John McCarty, of Lexington, KY; grandchildren: Donald A. Peterson, III and his wife, Christine (Domenick) of Canton, OH, Molly (Peterson) Peters and her husband, Tom of Fort Pierce, FL, Brian McCarty and his wife, Katherine (Veal) of Lexington KY, Megan (McCarty) Green and her husband, Patrick of Lexington, KY, Jon Bezon of Adrian MI, Jodi (Bezon) Schmidt and her husband, Chuck of Macedonia, OH, and Jill Bezon of Vass, NC.; great- grandchildren: Donald A. Peterson, IV and John William Peterson, of Canton, OH, Mary Katherine, Sarah Jane and Martha Lee McCarty, all of Lexington, KY, Quentin, Logan and Wyatt Peters, all of Fort Pierce, FL and Will and Jack Schmidt of Macedonia, OH
She graduated from her beloved Mount Union College in the spring of 1940 where she met, was courted by and on July 20, 1940 married her devoted husband of 66 years Donald Peterson. Together, they traveled to six of the seven continents meeting with some of the most well-known leaders throughout the world including Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, his wife, Jehan and, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Later in life, she discovered the warmth and graciousness of southern hospitality and hosted her entire family with bi-annual excursions to The Greenbrier in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia.
Since 2000, she split her time between Alliance, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky, where she was an active resident of Mayfair Village. She enjoyed playing bridge, poker and bingo. She also was well known for her collection of handmade needlepoint Christmas ornaments.
She was a former member of Tri Delta Sorority at Mount Union College (University), Alliance Country Club, PEO, Chapter C.P., member and past president of the Mount Union University Women's Club, the Mount Union College Alumni Association, Alliance YWCA, member and past president of the Alliance Garden Center and a founding member of the Town & Country Gardeners.
Jo and her husband were great supporters of their alma mater, Mount Union College. In recognition of that support, two buildings on Campus, the Peterson Field House and the Hoiles-Peterson Dormitory are named in their honor.
She was an ardent and lifelong supporter of individual freedom and responsibility. Jo enthusiastically supported many conservative causes, organizations and candidates. She took great pride in the fact she voted in every election during her lifetime.
She was a member of the Christ United Methodist Church in Alliance, Ohio for more than sixty years. She loved and played the piano much of her life, and several years ago, donated her mother's Steinway piano to the church's congregation.

Services will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, January 25, 2014, at Christ United Methodist Church. Visitation will be held two hours prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.

Paul Bearers will be Donald Peterson, III, Brian McCarty, Jon Bezon, Patrick Green, Tom Peters and Chuck Schmidt.

Contributions in remembrance of Jo, can be made to Mount Union University, 1972 Clark St. Alliance, OH 44601, Christ United Methodist Church, 470 E. Broadway St., Alliance, OH 44601, Alliance YWCA, 405 S. Linden Ave., Alliance OH 44601, or to the charity of the donor's choice.

Arrangements are by Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home, 75. S. Union Ave., Alliance, Oh 44601.