1930
George
2017
George Daniel Peters (Peters)
April 11, 1930 — April 13, 2017
George, long known to his family and friends as a lover of ocean beaches, gardening, cooking and pie baking, theater, classical music, architecture, historic restorations, American history, and the island of Manhattan, was the first in his immediate family to attend college, earning a B.S. in Horticulture at Penn State University. After serving in the Army as a Troop Information and Education Instructor at Fort Knox for two years during the Korean War, George returned to Penn State for graduate studies in history.
Having had a taste of life in Manhattan while attending the United States Armed Forces Information School at Fort Slocum in New Rochelle, New York during his time in the military, George moved away from his earlier plan of becoming a fruit grower in Adams County and relocated to New York City in 1959. While earning his M.A. in Student Personnel Administration at New York University (NYU), he began his career in university administration by first managing NYU's medical and dental school residences in Manhattan and then the undergraduate residence halls at the University Heights Campus in the Bronx. After more than 25 years, George retired in 1995 from his position as Director of Housing and the Student Center at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn.
In 1980 George was newly divorced from his first wife Mary Ferrer and living in a waterfront community on the South Shore of Long Island, New York. He was introduced to Marianne Warman by her brother, Fred Gaffney, George's long-time "bar car" commuting companion on the Long Island Rail Road. When George married Marianne four years later, he happily became a stepfather to her three daughters. Fred's family members also became permanent fixtures in his life.
While George had many interests, none surpassed his love for gardening. Many in his Freeport, Long Island neighborhood came to know him as he worked in his extraordinary gardens, which contained hundreds of species of plants, flowers, and vegetables, despite inhabiting a scant quarter-acre lot. After invariably being invited into his century old home, new friends would gasp in surprise to see a suburban house full of early American antiques and oriental rugs, the collecting of which was a passion George and Marianne shared during their 32 years of marriage.
George was an active volunteer in many organizations in New York throughout his adult life. For several years he was president of the South Shore Audubon Society and served for nine years on the Nassau County Open Space Survey and Parks Advisory Committee. He enjoyed memberships in several horticulture, conservation, and arts-oriented nonprofits. While living in Old Bennington, he much appreciated events at Bennington Museum, regional theatre, discussion groups, and services and programs at the First Congregational Church of Bennington (Old First Church).
A celebration of George's life will be held at the Old First Church (Monument Avenue in Old Bennington) on Saturday, May 20th at 1:30PM. Interment in the Bennington Centre Cemetery will follow the memorial service. Anyone wishing to commemorate George's life may consider a donation to the Preservation Fund of the Old First Church (802 447-1223) or Bennington Museum (802 447-1571). For details and condolences, contact the family at RIPGeorgeP2017@gmail.com. Arrangements by E.P.Mahar & Son Funeral Home, Bennington, Vermont.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of George Daniel Peters (Peters), please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
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Saturday, May 20, 2017
Starts at 1:30 pm (Eastern time)
Old First Church (72 Monument Avenue, Old Bennington, VT 05201)
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