University Times

Former Graduate School of Public Health faculty member Karen S. Peterson died Jan. 7, 2011, in her home in Pittsburgh. She was 79.

A graduate of the University of Minnesota nursing school, Peterson earned her Master of Public Health degree at GSPH in 1970 and pursued doctoral studies 1978-84 at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. In addition to working as a public health nurse, she spent 31 years as a GSPH faculty member, retiring in 2003.

An assistant professor, Peterson taught in GSPH’s Department of Health Services Administration and held a secondary appointment in Pitt’s women’s studies program. She coordinated the department’s master’s and doctoral programs and was associate chair for educational programs. She directed GSPH admissions 1983-84, served as assistant dean for student and alumni affairs 1984-90 and served on the public health school’s Senior Council advisory committee.

Among other service to the University, Peterson was a member of the University Senate and Faculty Assembly 1991-96 and Senate secretary 1993-94.

She chaired the Western Pennsylvania Public Health Council 1974-83 and served a term as president of the Pennsylvania Public Health Association (PPHA).

She received the Chancellor’s Distinguished Public Service Award in 2000. In bestowing the award, Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg commended her leadership in addressing public health issues statewide and bettering the lives of others through her work with the Rx Council of Western Pennsylvania, Traveler’s Aid Society, Women’s Center and Shelter, Planned Parenthood and PPHA.

She also was recognized with honors within GSPH. In 1993, Peterson was an inaugural recipient of the Margaret F. Gloninger Award, which is presented each year to a GSPH graduate who has made a significant contribution to GSPH or the community through volunteer service. In 2003, GSPH students honored her with the James L. Craig Award for Teaching Excellence.

Peterson was outspoken in her concern for students, said Martha Terry, who succeeded her as coordinator of the master’s programs.

“I always appreciated her advocacy for students,” she said, recalling Peterson’s concern for students’ success. “She stood out in caring about students getting the best out of the program.” Peterson often would speak up with the students’ point of view. “She’d been here long enough to be confident in being outspoken,” Terry said.

Peterson let students know they could confide in her on academic as well as personal issues. “She cared about students in a holistic way,” Terry said, adding that Peterson had a special concern for international students. She would pick up new students at the airport herself, or see to it that someone would be there to greet them upon their arrival.

Peterson was active in a broad range of civic and social causes.

Last May she was re-elected a Democratic Party committee member.

She had served on the boards of the local League of Women Voters, Early Head Start, Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania and the Allegheny County Homeless Alliance (co-chairing its health resources and service delivery committee) and was president of the Community Human Services Corp. board. Peterson also had been a member of the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank food and nutrition committee, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and Pennsylvanians United for Single Payer Health Care.

She also was a member of Pittsburgh’s Raging Grannies, an activist group known for using song parodies to call attention to political and social issues.

Peterson had a special passion for working to prevent homelessness and was outspoken about universal health care, said GSPH faculty member Patricia Documet. “Activism was a big thing for her,” said Documet, noting the extensive collection of T-shirts, tote bags and buttons Peterson had amassed from various causes.

Peterson and her longtime companion, Dick Neller, traveled often, returning to her native Wyoming almost every year and taking frequent cross-country ski trips, Documet recalled.

Peterson loved the outdoors, enjoying gardening, hiking and other outdoor activities, said Documet, who also is a former  student of Peterson’s.

Peterson enjoyed children and was a grandmotherly figure to Documet’s children, albeit an iconoclastic one. Documet recalls returning from a business trip to find Peterson had taught Document’s children to play poker while they were in her care. Documet’s son, now grown, still plays using the chips Peterson gave him when he was a boy.

“She was not a traditional old lady,” Documet said.

In addition to Neller, Peterson is survived by her children Elizabeth, Karrie, Edward and Barney Peterson and two grandchildren.

The family suggests memorial donations to Community Human Services Corp., 374 Lawn Street, Pittsburgh 15213.

A memorial event is planned for early spring. For details, visit www.karenpeterson.wordpress.com.

—Kimberly K. Barlow