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Dr. Melanie Marie Peterson, 63 of Lansdowne, PA formerly of Gerry, NY passed away suddenly on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at her home.
She was born March 16, 1960, in Jamestown, NY to the late Wayne and Leona Peterson of Gerry, NY.
A 1978 graduate of Cassadaga Valley Central School. Melanie was also a graduate of Wayne State University and held a Juris Doctorate from University of Buffalo.
She most recently worked as an insurance broker for The Assurance Group. She was a retired trial attorney at U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Philadelphia, PA and a former Attorney with Sanders and Sanders in Buffalo, NY. She was also former instructor for the University of Maryland, teaching abroad on U.S. Army bases for 8 years.
Melanie’s most devoted passions were her love for her cats and her family. She was a long-time board member, Secretary, volunteer, and foster mom with Animal Friends of Lansdowne in her adopted town. She opened her home and heart to many cats and kittens in need of foster care and rehabilitation.
She enjoyed playing the piano, singing, back-yard barbeques, and sharing her pool with her friends and family.
Melanie is survived by her sister Sally (Greg) Peterson Dallas of Gerry, NY, brother-in-law Robert Olson of Jamestown, NY, step-aunt Lois Woodams of Gerry, NY, her beloved cat Thorndike and several foster kitties that were in her care, and close friends who mourn her passing.
Preceded in death by her parents, sister Wendy Susan Peterson Olson, maternal grandparents Nels and Norma Johnson Woodams, step-grandfather W. Edward Woodams, paternal grandparents Gustav and Helen Peterson. Also Aunt Dr. Annita B Watson, Uncles Courtney and Bruce Peterson, and a number of her beloved pets, including cats Elmo, Velvet, and Archie.
Memorial donations may be made to Animal Friends of Lansdowne, P.O Box 869, Lansdowne, PA 19050 (animalfriendsoflansdowne.org) or to the Gerry United Methodist Church, Route 60, Gerry, NY 14740 https://jordansinclairville.com/tribute/details/1866/Dr-Melanie-Peterson/obituary.html
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Susan Opt
I met Melanie Peterson when we both arrived in Heidelberg in fall 1988 to begin teaching with UMUC. Melanie got assigned to the Munich Campus, and I visited her later that year. In January 1989, I joined her on a Munich Campus study tour to the USSR over break, and over spring break, we went on a MC tour to Barcelona. She was instrumental in me ending up teaching at Munich Campus for the next 4 years. She went on to teach at various bases in Europe over the next few years. I remember visiting her when she was working in Brindisi, Italy. We also did a winter break trip to Switzerland. I saw her a few times after she returned to the states, but we mostly stayed in contact via Facebook. She went back to school and became a lawyer, a profession she seemed to really enjoy. She later became very involved with the local animal shelter and frequently posted photos on Facebook of cats she was fostering. She will be missed.