Maryrita Peters, 78, of Saugatuck, passed away on March 20, 2022 in Holland Hospital.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Florence and John Doran, two brothers, John Jr. and Philip Doran, and nephew, Philip Doran Jr. also of Chicago.
She is survived by her husband of 54 years, John, their daughters Kirstin Dunlop of Milwaukee, Wisc., and Allison Quinn of Western Springs, Ill., son Jeremy Peters of Candler, N.C., and six grandchildren: Malcolm, Gillian, Cooper and Lilah Dunlop, and Violet and Christian Quinn.
Also surviving are her sister-in-law Mary Irene Doran (Philip) of Chicago, nieces Margaret Pezza (Jeff) of Evanston, Ill., Elizabeth Sheedy (Patrick) of Wilmette, Ill., and nephews John Doran (Jennifer) and Ned Doran, both of Chicago.
Surviving husband’s family comprises sister-in-law Audrey Egler (Jack, deceased) and niece Amy Genis (Bob), both of Rockford, Ill., niece Dawn Sandberg (Bob) of Superior, Mont., and nephew Scott Egler (Lauren) of Elgin, Ill.
Maryrita was born in Chicago on Oct. 13, 1943. She attended Chicago’s Mother McCauley Catholic High School, then went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Speech degree from Milwaukee’s Jesuit Marquette University, and Master of Science in Speech and Audiology from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
She then served the Chicago Public School System working with special needs students, and before marriage in 1968 joined the Illinois State Pediatric Institute’s West Side Medical Center in Chicago.
From there she progressed to Chicago’s West Suburban Early Intervention Program for special-needs students until becoming a pediatric speech pathologist with Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital around 1980.
Residing in Evanston, Ill., since 1970, she began private practice in nearby Skokie in 2000, and retired to Saugatuck in 2005.
In retirement, Maryrita served her Saugatuck-Douglas community volunteering with S-D History Center, Women’s Club and S-D Garden Club, ultimately becoming Garden Club president. An avid reader, she played an active role in the community’s Friends of the Library and joined a local book club while keeping up with another created among her Evanston-neighbor moms in the 1970s.
She also relished floral gardening, exploring the area’s rural backroads and duneland on motorscooters, and international travel with husband John, celebrating their 40th anniversary retracing their honeymoon route across Ireland.
Having chosen cremation, she declined a wake and visitation; her funeral mass is scheduled for Thursday, March 31, at 11 a.m. in St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 100 St. Peter’s Drive, Douglas.
In lieu of flowers, contributions honoring her memory may be sent to Saugatuck-Douglas Garden Club, Saugatuck-Douglas History Center, Saugatuck Women’s Club or Saugatuck Douglas District Library.
