Joan Carolyn Blodgett Peterson

Joan Carolyn Blodgett Peterson, a long-time resident of Palo Alto, California, died of causes incident to old age on June 6, 2019, in Solana Beach, California, at the age of 82.
Joan is survived by two brothers, Terry Blodgett (Cheryl) of Cedar City, Utah, and Richard Blodgett (Diane) of Manassas, Virginia; her two sons, Matthew Peterson (Emilie) of San Diego, California, and Benjamin Olson of Vienna, Virginia; her eight grandchildren, Claire Nelson (Conner), Margaret Peterson, John Peterson, Theodore Peterson, Matthew Olson, Kyle Olson, Jedidiah Olson, and Seth Olson; and her great-granddaughter, Lucy Nelson. She is also survived by her second husband, Michael Olson of Alamo, California. She is preceded in death by her first husband, John Peterson; her parents, William and Florence Blodgett; and her brother Steven Blodgett (Barbara).
Joan Carolyn Blodgett was born on January 21, 1937, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to William Durell Blodgett and Florence Martha Gygi Blodgett. She was the oldest of four children with three younger brothers. Joan graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.A. in elementary education. Education and learning were high priorities in Joan’s life. She went on to earn a M.S. degree in library science from the University of California Los Angeles and a Ph.D. in children’s literature from Stanford University.
Shortly after graduating from BYU, Joan married John Delon Peterson of Castle Dale, Utah, in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 8, 1959. They had one son, Matthew John Peterson. Joan and John lived in Los Angeles, California; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Santa Barbara, California. John died on March 27, 1968. Joan married Michael Lee Olson of Tekoa, Washington, in Palo Alto, California, on August 5, 1972. They had one son, Benjamin Conrad Olson. Joan and Mike lived in Boulder, Colorado; Cupertino, California; and Palo Alto, California. They later divorced.
Joan is remembered as an independent and determined woman with a love of learning. Throughout her life, she educated and inspired her students as a teacher in many different capacities. Besides teaching others, she taught herself about many topics such as sewing, cooking Japanese food, improvisation, and investing, to name just a few. When Joan finished her Ph.D., she realized that she had neglected her physical health and became a distance runner. Perhaps because she never had a daughter of her own, Joan often took the opportunity to encourage, teach, and nurture girls, young women, and new mothers. Her children and grandchildren were always a high priority. She was a member of the LDS church, and her faith was central part of her life.
A funeral is scheduled for 10 am, June 22, 2019, at Memorial Holladay-Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 South Highland Drive, Holladay, UT, with a visitation beginning at 9 am. Interment to follow at the Memorial Holladay Cemetery. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Joan’s life. Condolences can be sent to http://www.memorialutah.com/obituary/holladay-cottonwood/joan-carolyn-blodgett-peterson/
Service Information
Viewing June 22, 2019 at 900-9:45 am
Memorial Holladay~Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 South Highland Drive, Holladay,Utah 84117





Funeral Service
June 22, 2019 at 10:00 AM
Memorial Holladay~Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 South Highland Drive, Holladay,Utah 84117