Esther Jean Scott Peterson

Esther Jean Scott Peterson recently passed after a short illness. She was just 20 days shy of her 97th birthday.  Formerly a long-time resident of West Chester, PA, she was residing at The Laurels, Goshen IN.

She was previously married to Eddie Peterson of West Chester, PA for 43 years.

She is preceded in death by her parents John Gilbert Scott and Irma Barnett Scott RN of West Chester, PA; 4 sisters Dorcas Scott Norris, Miriam Scott Bicking RN, Mildred Scott RN, and Sara Scott Hoadley RN and 1 brother J Gilbert Scott Jr.

She is survived by her son David Scott Peterson of Garner NC and her daughter Dr Bobbie Ann Peterson of Goshen IN; 1 granddaughter and 3 great-grandchildren, all residing in the Raleigh NC area.

Esther graduated from West Chester High School, Class of 1942, and the Chester County Hospital Schooling of Nursing, class of 1945.  She followed in the footsteps of her mother and three older sisters, all of whom graduated from The Chester County School of Nursing.

Esther, affectingly referred to as “Pete” by the hospital community, retired from the Chester County Hospital after more than 35 years of dedicated nursing service as nurse manager of the Accident Room/Emergency Room and Short Procedure (ACC) Unit.  During her hospital tenure, she touched many lives throughout the West Chester area.  Pete retired in 1990, ending a 79 year stretch of the Scott family nurses caring for patients at CCH. 

Following her retirement, “Pete” maintained an active schedule as a volunteer for over 20 years where she logged more than 6000 hours as a Chester County Hospital volunteer.  She also volunteered in the Attendance Office at East High School for over 5 years.

Throughout her retirement, Esther was always “on call” to go and care for friends and family needing that special nurses’ touch that she was so known for.  She remained an active member of the Chester County Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association until her move to Indiana to be with her daughter.

Esther would spend her summers working in her large vegetable garden where she grew and canned a variety of garden produce for the year.  She was noted for her strawberry shortcake served with warm homemade pudding.

Esther loved to sew and would tirelessly cut and sew cloth bags for Napthali, a local organization serving the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Indian Reservations in South Dakota.

Esther also loved refinishing furniture and would spend many hours sanding each piece, with the goal that her children would have fond memories of their mother and the love she poured over each piece of furniture.

In addition to being an exceptional nurse and loving mother, Esther would be seen every day walking her beloved Sheltie dogs, Sandy 1 and then Sandy 2.

Family and friends are invited to the Funeral service, including the Florence Nightingale Remembrance, on Saturday, October 23 at 10 am at the Episcopal Church of the Advent, 401 N Union St, Kennett Square PA.  Visitation will immediately precede the funeral service and begin at 9:30 am.  Interment immediately following at Union Hill Cemetery, 424 N Union St, Kennett Square.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home of Elkhart, IN (574-293-6411).  Online condolences www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com

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