Madeleine Vignier Peters

Madeleine Vignier grew up in Reims, France and– at age 15 – she was forced to flee Nazi Germany’s invasion of her hometown, even hiding in a ditch to escape danger. She remembered how difficult life was under Nazi occupation: work was difficult to find for adults, children were forced to scavenge fields for raw materials just to get by, and daily life and schooling interrupted.

She would always speak of sheer joy when describing how the Americans freed everyone in her hometown from Nazi occupation. During the war, she met an Army First Lieutenant named Herb Peters, of Rochester Hills, who was stationed in her town and served in Eisenhower’s Headquarters following the invasion of Normandy. Despite the language barrier, love has a language all of its own: they married on June 8, 1946, and moved back to the United States. Herb and Madeleine were married for nearly 65 years until Herb’s passing on April 24, 2011.

When she moved to Michigan, Madeleine worked as a nurse’s aide, dedicating her life to improving the health and wellness of others. While there, she was also an SEIU steward. She taught her children the values of hard work – and to always stand up for what is right.

In addition to her passion for the Detroit Tigers, she would knit hundreds of scarves and hats that were donated to the homeless during the winter.

Her powerful legacy and life lives on in all the lives that she touched – and will continue living on for generations. Madeleine Vignier Peters’ oral history of her experience during World War II was recorded for the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana, and can be viewed by clicking here.

https://www.ww2online.org/view/madeleine-peters

She is survived by her daughters Genvieve “Gigi” Williams and Jacqueline “Jackie” (Ross) Baker, her son, Gary (Colleen) Peters, her grandchildren: Laurie (Tim) Hilligoss, Kelly Marie (Brian Thomas) Lynch, Kimberly Jo (Aric Visser) Baker, Karie (Tony) Valencia, Julie (Damion Cooper) Williams, Gary Peters Jr., Madeleine Peters, and Alana Peters, and 8 great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews and extended family who are all grieving her loss and miss her deeply. The family takes comfort knowing that she is now reunited with her husband Herb – and together – they are watching over us.

Madeleine is preceded in death by her husband, Herb Peters, son-in-law Thomas Williams, great grandson Nicklas Feskorn, her parents and her 4 siblings.

Visitation will be held at Pixley Funeral Home, 322 W. University Dr., Rochester, MI 48307 on Thursday, June 17th from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Friday, June 18th at 4:00 p.m. Mrs. Peters will lie in state at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations will support the Child & Family Life Program at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan. Checks may be made to “University of Michigan” and sent to the Michigan Medicine Office of Development, 1000 Oakbrook Dr., Ste. 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. You may also call 734-764-6777 or visit the website victors.us/madeleinevignierpeters to make your gift.