Obituary of Marilyn Adele Maas

Marilyn Adele Maas, 94, passed away in Eldon, Missouri, on July 9, 2023. She was a small but monumental woman – regal, intelligent, curious, fastidious in clothing and homemaking, creative, observant, tirelessly energetic, and unafraid to speak her mind. She was an avid reader, a plant whisperer, and a lifetime learner. She loved music (especially Frédéric Chopin and Beegie Adair), art (especially Southwestern) and travel (especially Hawaii), and she was never happier than when near the ocean, or at her beloved baby grand piano.

Marilyn was born April 18, 1929, in Santa Clara County, California, the youngest of Elmer Christian and Alvina (Grimm) Maas’ three children. Her father died suddenly before she was born, and Alvina supported Marilyn and her two brothers by running a successful roadside fruit stand in San Jose, California, just as the Great Depression began. The work ethic, strength, and resilience that Marilyn learned at an early age defined her throughout her life.

She learned to ride English Saddle as a student at the Montecito School for Girls, and at Fremont Union High School, she participated in theater, basketball, tennis, student council, and yearbook, and was chosen as Yell Leader and Student Store Manager. As a student and cheerleader at San Jose State University, she met and married Duane Peterson, with whom she had two children, Diane and Kevin.

Marilyn loved working with children, and after finishing college, became a fourth-grade teacher. She especially enjoyed encouraging her students to express their inner creativity through fingerpainting, filling her classroom with works by her young artists.

Marilyn and Duane divorced, and Marilyn never remarried. She spent most of her life in California before moving to Missouri in 2019 to be near her daughter.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Ronald Maas and Elmer Alvin “Al” Maas, and Duane Peterson. She is survived by her children Kevin (Veronica) Peterson of Colorado and Diane Steffen of Missouri, three grandchildren – Karla (Doug), Scott (Lauren), and Jarred (Monica), and four great-grandchildren - Kelsey, Ethan, Blake, and Ashton.