Information provided by Coxe & Graziano
Madalienne Marie Peters, dietician and mother, passed away Friday, June 19, 2015 at Nathaniel Witherell at the age of 97. Born Madalienne Marie Carrano, the daughter of Frank and Marie Carrano, she was predeceased by her brother John Carrano and her husband Frank J Peters.
She is survived by her sister Marie Hessels of Bridgeport, Connecticut. She is also survived by her three children: Madalienne Peters and her husband Dr. Horace B. Newhard of Novato California, her son Frank Peters and his wife Marjory Musgrave of Aspen, Colorado and son Paul Peters and his wife Laura Peters of Stamford Connecticut. In addition she is survived by her grandchildren, Joe Schmidt and his wife Angela of Santa Barbara, Tom Schmidt and his wife Anne Marie Padilla from Novato California, Franko Peters of Aspen, Colorado, Laura Peters of LosAngeles, California, and Joseph Peters of Stamford.
She is also survived by four great-grandchildren: Taya, Hadley and Mason Schmidt and Isabella Padilla Schmidt. Born November 14, 1917 she attended Central High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut and early on developed an appreciation of food and nutrition. After spending the summer helping to care for the family of her school principal while they summered in Maine she went on to study nutrition and food science at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her degree from the School of Household Science and Arts in Clinical Dietetics in 1938.
After graduating, she went to work at Greenwich Hospital and became the head dietician living in the Benedict Building along with the nursing staff. After meeting her future husband there while checking his menu, she eventually married Frank J. Peters of Greenwich in 1942 shortly before he departed for the Pacific with the Navy as a Seabee.
She spent the wartime years living with Frank’s family at 38 Alexander Street in Greenwich and, upon his return in 1945, she left her position at the hospital. They moved to 7 Butler Street in Cos Cob after her husband, now a member of the Greenwich Police, built their house in his off hours. While taking care of her three children she baked cakes for the Greenwich Women’s Exchange as well as privately. Always conscious of her family’s nutrition, she was careful to insure that there was always protein in their diet. Her family years were spent cooking many extended family meals with relatives visiting
every week. Camping with her family meant cooking on a portable gas stove. This became a major part of a cross country national park family camping trip in 1955. As her children got older she went back to work at the Greenwich Academy as a dietician and continued her career in nutrition for several years. After her husband’s retirement, the two spent many years summering in Maine and developed many friends in the town of Georgetown. She prepared many meals and developed numerous recipes. Her bunny cake and lady finger birthday cakes were always a hit.
She traveled with her daughter Madalienne and her husband Bix to Japan and Italy visiting friends and relatives. Starting with her daughter’s one year stay in Japan, Madalienne and Frank became hosts to the Wakasugi family from Tokyo and entertained them every year at their house in Cos Cob or in Maine maintaining a strong international relationship. After the passing of her husband, Madalienne began working at Hoagland’s of Greenwich in 1988 at the age of 71 and soon became a sales associate. Her kind demeanor and carefully prepared fashion endeared her to the staff and customers alike. Her warm relationship with the staff continued well after she retired in 2002 at the age of 85. Living independently at her home she traveled alone to Maine frequently to visit her friends there. She always enjoyed the visits of her children and grandchildren and took great pleasure in preparing meals for her large extended family.
A mass of Christian burial will take place at St Mary’s Church, Greenwich Avenue on Saturday, June 27, 2015 at 10 AM. No viewing hours will be held. Any questions should be directed to Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home (914) 698-5968, www.coxeandgraziano.com. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Neighbor to Neighbor or Meals on Wheels.