Jacqueline Peterson

Jacqueline Peterson, age 70, passed away peacefully in her home in American Fork, Utah, on July 13, 2026, from a lingering illness. Jacque was born on April 15, 1956, in Globe, Arizona, to Harry Donl and Mary Louise Schenk Peterson. She was the third child and the second daughter.

The Peterson family moved several times in her early years living in Globe, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; and Pullman, Washington; before settling in Orem, Utah, in 1964. Jacque had a happy childhood where she enjoyed hiking, camping, vacationing, and spending time with her family. She loved reading, learning, and music. Jacque played volleyball, softball, basketball, and tennis in her youth. She doted on her younger brothers, whom she loved fiercely.

The Peterson home was full of love, and she was taught from an early age through the example of her parents about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jacque had a strong testimony from a young age and always loved learning throughout her life.

The Peterson home was full of adventure. In 1973 Jacque and her family had the incredible opportunity to live in Israel and some surrounding countries. Jacque said it was one of her most life-changing experiences. This amazing year was a springboard for her life-long study of the land of Israel, people, scriptures, languages, history, music, and travel. She constantly studied and read good books. Jacque developed her talents and loved sharing anything and everything about Israel. She traveled back to Israel numerous times and visited many other countries around the world.

Jacque graduated from Orem High School in 1974. She loved attending Brigham Young University and was a roommate with her sister Diane. She was always the life of the party and full of spunk. She loved learning about everything--except physics and chemistry.

Jacque earned a double major in Health Education and Middle Eastern Studies (history) from Brigham Young University in 1978. She was an avid sports fan and was loyal to BYU and BYU athletics for the rest of her life.

Soon after graduation, Jacque began her esteemed career as an educator at Lehi Junior High School. Jacque finished her 30-year teaching career at Mountain Ridge Junior High in Highland, Utah, retiring in 2008. Jacque was innovative in her classroom, and she was a very popular teacher. She was known as Miss P., and she served as the student council advisor for many years. Knowledge Bowl was one of her favorite activities to conduct, and her success in this was unprecedented. She was voted "Favorite Teacher" many times. Jacque loved kids and had an impact on an incredible number of them. She cared deeply about them and wanted to see them succeed.

Jacque loved serving the youth of the Church, and she loved girls' camp. She loved nature and having fun. Jacque participated in over 30 ward and stake girls' camps, serving in many roles from stake camp director to camp cook. Her favorite camp activity was to play her guitar and lead the music. Jacque loved sharing her testimony of Jesus Christ with the young women and wanted them to feel loved and to build their own testimonies of Jesus Christ.

Jacque loved her nieces and nephews and gave them her time and attention. She was generous to a fault and never forgot a person or an occasion. Jacque loved sharing her talents with her family and friends, and all were recipients of beautifully made blankets, hand-crafted quilts, and a variety of carefully embroidered creations.

Jacque regarded her dearest friend and roommate, Jocelyn Shelley, as a bonus sister. Jacque was able to take many trips and venture to many places with Jocelyn and her family. Jacque described Jocelyn as her patient friend who helped her in so many ways above and beyond what a person could expect. We wish to thank Jocelyn for her many hours of kind service to Jacque during her illnesses. Jacque recently expressed her love and gratitude for the entire Shelley family, who have treated her like one of their own.

Jacque loved to study the scriptures, and they gave her great comfort and hope during some of the most challenging hours of her life. Jacque knew that Heavenly Father loved her and that His plan for her was always the best plan.

Jacque loved the temple, and her heart was always turned toward her fathers. She worked tirelessly on compiling and sharing family history and performing temple ordinances. We know that Jacque is joyfully greeting many relatives whose lives she has studied with great love and whom she was looking forward to meeting.

We are joyful that Jacque has reunited with her beloved parents and with her much loved nephew, Christopher John Lee, who preceded her in death.

Our hearts are full of love and gratitude for Jacque's life. We will miss her dearly but are comforted by our faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by the knowledge that families are eternal and we will be joyfully reunited in the Lord's time.

Jacque, we love you!

Jacque is survived by her siblings, Terry (Sherry) Peterson, Orem, Utah; Diane (Scott) Lee, Santa Clara, Utah; Scott (Tracie) Peterson, Orem, Utah; James (Lisa) Peterson, Sandy, Utah; and Michael (Megen) Peterson, Vernal, Utah. She also leaves behind many beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at the Hillcrest Stake Center, 165 North 350 West, American Fork, Utah. A viewing will be held from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. The funeral will begin at 11:00 a.m. Internment will be at the Orem City Cemetery.