Audrey Madeline Peterson

Audrey Madeleine Bennett Peterson departed this world on Flag Day, June 14, 2025 at the age of 104.

Born in Winnemucca Nevada in 1920, Audrey grew up on farms and went to school in eastern Washington until she graduated as River High School valedictorian in 1938. She moved to Seattle and trained as a secretary at Edison Voc Tech. In 1943, she joined the Marines, became a Staff Sergeant, and served as a radio operator in North Carolina, Florida and California. She was proud of her service to the country she loved so much.

Returning to Seattle after the war, Audrey met a tall, handsome, enterprising, smart man with wavy hair and a big laugh. She and Emmett Bennett married in Seattle in 1948 and moved to Boise Idaho to work and raise their family, twin daughters, Mary and Virginia, born in 1950.

Audrey worked as a secretary and administrative aide for the US Bureau of Reclamation until she retired in 1977. She was a whiz at drafting and editing reports and made lifelong friends at the Bureau. She loved working at the Bureau when it was located near the old Fairgrounds where they could walk over for lunch during the fair.

Audrey was cheerful, generous, kind, intelligent and optimistic. She loved flowers, movies, read voraciously, and was a talented cook. Audrey’s pies were legendary, and her family and friends enjoyed her gourmet cooking. She loved culture, dachshunds, subscribed to dozens of magazines and delighted in all kinds of music. She played bridge and bowled, earning recognition in a national bowling magazine for scoring in the mid-200s in her 80s.

Emmett died in 1971, and Audrey remarried in 1973 to Ottis (Pete) Peterson, former assistant to the Commissioner of the Bureau. Pete introduced Audrey to golf and they enjoyed many years exploring golf courses in the west.

After Pete died in 1996, Audrey continued to play golf and bridge. She was active as a volunteer in Democratic politics, NARFE, and the VFW. She was a delegate to the first National Women’s Conference in Houston in 1977.

Audrey supported many causes dear to her heart, most importantly that the earth must be cared for and preserved for our children’s children.

Surviving her are her daughters Virginia (Ron Pisaneschi), Mary (Ken Shear), her grandchildren, Emmett Shear (Susanna), Adam Shear (Joslin Lee) and Madeleine Pisaneschi, great-grandchildren, Lucas, Nathaniel, and Chance Shear.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Edna Cartwright Waitley.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Exceptional Caregivers for their loving support and friendship during the last year of her life, allowing her to remain comfortably in the home that she and Emmett built. They would also like to thank the great palliative care staff at St. Alphonsus.

Donations in her memory can be made to Idaho Public TV and the Idaho Democratic Party.

Services will be held at St. Stephens Episcopal Church on Tuesday, July 1st at noon.