Mrs. Corinne Horton Peterson

Mrs. Corinne Horton Peterson was known as many things to many people. She was a wife, mother grandmother, loved one, a friend, and someone special. To family and friends who knew her best, Corinne will be remembered as a very exceptional person.

Corinne was born on July 3, 1928, at her parents' home above the General Store her father and Grandfather Herbert Horton owned and operated in Winter Beach Florida. She was the daughter of George G. and Mae Horton. Corinne grew up in Winter Beach and Vero Beach Florida and during WWII, in Holly Hill and Charleston South Carolina. She was very much a true southern lady.

Corinne was raised with 3 siblings. She had Two Sisters Joyce and Audrey and one brother Herbert. Corinne was usually involved in all sorts of activities with her siblings. She and her siblings experienced rivalries typical of a growing family, but they shared many life experiences over the years. Being the oldest child Corinne was expected to shoulder a lot of responsibilities with the work and raising of her younger siblings. She learned the value of hard work from an early age.

As a young girl, she loved reading and excelled in her schoolwork. She attended grade school in Winter Beach then Vero Beach High school before moving to Holly Hill South Carolina where her father got a civil service job as a guard with a navy shipyard. The family of 6 lived in a two-room cottage for the first two years until a better house in a government run subdivision became available. There Corinne finished high school at Holly Hill Roberts High. In school she had a competitive side to her, she liked to tell the story about how in grade school spelling B's she was determined to not get beat by anybody.

A typical teenager, Corinne had a fairly happy high school experience, making that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. She enjoyed some classes more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. In grade school in Winter Beach one of her teachers, Mrs. Rochelle Woods, actually was the same teacher who had taught her mother in a one room school over on Orchid Isle on Jungle Trail back in the 1920's when her mother's family first moved to Indian River County. Even though she didn’t finish high school in Vero Beach due to the move to S.C., later in life, friends she knew from early high school in Vero contacted her and wanted Corinne to be a part of their class reunions and also help with the planning and fortunately she was able to. Her Holly Hill S.C. friends had also contacted Corinne wanting her to attend their class reunions, but unfortunately Corinne never got a chance to attend one of those.

Always considered a “good” friend to those she knew; Corinne enjoyed a broad group of acquaintances and several very close friends during her lifetime. Before her marriage to Alex her world revolved around her siblings Joyce, Herbert and Audrey. She was also close to her cousin Ernest McCloud and in South Carolina her best friend was Sue Kinsey. After her marriage to husband Alex, she gained 6 loving sisters-in-laws Edith, Naomi, Esther, Katherine, Mary and Margie and two brothers-in-law Richard and Jennings.

Alex and Corinne built a beautiful home on Oslo Road in Indian River County south of Vero where they spent a number of years raising their young family. Alex and Corinne planted lots of citrus trees and tropical plants around their new home, had a vegetable garden and also for a number of years, ran a Bee Keeping business out of this location where Alex processed the Honey from his Bee Apiaries and built and maintained beehive boxes. Corinne worked hard to be a good mother to her children, and she did her best to fulfill their needs. Corinne was blessed with 2 children, one Daughter Donna and one Son Jeffrey. Another blessing for Corinne was the gift of 1 grandson Joshua who Alex and Corinne adored. Corinne and Alex were both totally devoted to their two children and later added family and did their best to give them the best life they could possibly provide as well as serving as great examples of what good people were made of.

Fortunately, Corinne enjoyed what she did for a living. Showing a strong work ethic, Corinne worked diligently and did her best to succeed in her career along with being a devoted wife and mother. In Charleston S.C., after graduating from high school, she worked as an office worker in a civil service job at the navy shipyard. After moving back to Vero Beach Florida Corinne was employed by Indian River Packing Company for a significant period, then helped her daughter Donna run her clothes boutique the "Mad Hatter", and finally Corinne retired from Piper Aircraft Company after working 24 years from 1975 to 1999 for them. During her years at Piper, Corinne was also part of the side business that Alex had selling tools as well as she also kept Alex’s barber shop in Vero going after his passing in 85 with other barbers working in the shop for her. Corinne always sought to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Corinne wasn't in the military, but she did help the WWII effort working in the office of the navy shipyard in Charleston South Carolina during WWII. Her father George G. Horton served during WWI and as the guard for the shipyard and her husband Alex Peterson served in the Army Air Corp during WWII.

Corinne enjoyed her leisure time by reading and solving puzzles. She was content to enjoy her favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Corinne was a woman who took pride in upholding her beliefs. Politically, Corinne was a strong supporter of the Republican Party.

Corinne’s faith was very important to her. She was a member of Pioneer Baptist church in Vero Beach Florida where Alex was a Deacon, and her father-in-law was the pastor Rev. J.A. Peterson. During that time, she was a Sunday School Teacher and helped with the nursery. Mom also supported the Samaritan's Purse ministry and various other ministries that she felt were doing the lord's work.

Corinne enjoyed traveling and time away on vacations with family. It was a chance for her to renew and relax, to visit new places and experience new things. The young family created many great memories traveling and camping early on. Their favorite destinations were locations in Florida and in Alex's home state of North Carolina at White Lake near where Alex was raised near Clinton in Sampson County and in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Hendersonville and Hickory Nut Gorge and also places in eastern Tennessee.

Corinne was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Two of her recent favorite Dogs were Sam and Suski and her cat Molly. Corinne always loved dogs and cats and had many favorites during her life.

When Corinne’s retirement finally arrived in 1999, she was ready and had earned her retirement after many years of a steady working career. After retiring Corinne still lived for a couple more years at her home in Sebastian Florida that she had built a few years after Alex passed, before deciding to move to Escondido California to live with her daughter Donna and son in law Rusty Hayes. In retirement, she found new pleasure in reading and spending time with family and traveling with them. Corinne adjusted to her new life in Escondido driving herself around the small southern California town. She was never very fond of the freeways but managed very well finding her way around town. Even in retirement, Corinne continued to stay in touch with her old friends on Facebook while making plenty of new acquaintances and was an inspiration to all of the new friends she made. Corinne was blessed with a remarkable memory. Right up until her passing, she could still recall many details about growing up in early Florida, family, friends, and important moments in her past. She was a great storyteller with a lot of good stories to share.

Corinne passed away at the age of 94 on August 6, 2022, at San Pasqual rest home in Escondido California with her family at her side. Corinne fought a brave battle against congestive heart failure. She is survived by her daughter Donna and son-in-law Rusty Hayes and her son Jeffrey Peterson and her daughter-in-law Debi Peterson. Services will be held at Hillcrest cemetery on North US1 between Vero Beach and Ft. Pierce Florida. Corinne will be laid to rest in Hillcrest cemetery next to her husband Alex Peterson.

The experiences she treasured most were those she shared with her loved ones. Corinne Horton Peterson will be greatly missed.

A celebration of life for Corinne will be held Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 11:45 AM at Aycock Funeral Home, 6026 North US Highway 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946. A committal service will occur Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 12:15 PM at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, 6026 North Us Highway 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946. A reception will occur Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, 6026 North US Highway 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946.

In Lieu of flowers a memorial donation can be made in the Memory of Corinne Peterson to Samaritans Purse. Just follow the link https://sampur.se/3JVgN2J to Corinne's memorial page at Samaritans Purse.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.aycock-hillcrest.com for the Peterson family.