Martin "Marty" L. Peterson "Mr. Bear"

Predeceased by his loving wife of 59 years, Audrey R. Peterson.

Survived by his daugh­ters in which his world revolved around, Becky (John), Debby (Chris), Judy (Dave), Mary (Francis) & Molly (Brian); 9 beautiful grandchildren, several great grandchildren & many nieces & neph­ews.

On June 8th, 2026, Martin Peterson passed away peacefully at the Comfort Care Home in Penfield at the age of 94. He spent his early years in Jamestown, New York before moving to Rochester after college, where he began his career and raised his family.

Martin attended Erie Technical Community College, where he graduated with honors in engineering. He began his career with IBM, serving as a service engineer for over 30 years. Following his early retirement, he spent several years working as a courier for a local laboratory.

Marty cherished time with his family and was known for his warm sense of humor and his remarkable ability to raise five daughters. He was especially remembered for his imaginative and hilarious bedtime stories, often brought to life with a beloved bear puppet.

A devoted man of faith, Marty was an active member of his church and served as a Eucharistic Minister for many years. He was also a proud Navy veteran who served during the Korean War on one of the last ships to travel around the world.

Those who knew Marty will remember him as one of the kindest and most gentle individuals you could meet. He made it a point to acknowledge others and help them feel seen—whether by greeting a fellow resident in the hallway or taking a moment to ask a busy staff member how they were doing and expressing his sincere appreciation.

His life was guided by his faith, his commitment to family, and his generosity toward others. From an early age, he instilled in his children the importance of giving back—whether by helping organize holiday food drives or through his leadership in the church.

Marty approached life with optimism, always quick to share a laugh. His sense of humor kept his young daughters in stitches and remained a hallmark of his personality throughout his life. He made everyone in his family—from his wife and daughters to his grandchildren—feel loved, valued, and supported.

He found joy in life’s simple pleasures: days at the beach, feeding the ducks, golfing, hiking at Letchworth State Park, getting a “dog” at Schaller’s, and his fondness for all things bear. Marty leaves behind a lasting legacy of kindness, warmth, and love. He has left a positive mark on all our hearts and will forever be remembered for the light he brought to others.

The family will assemble for his Mass of Christian Burial 10:30am Monday morning June 15, 2026 at Holy Cross Church, 4492 Lake Ave. Rochester, NY 14612. Inurnment Riverside Cemetery. Full military honors by the US Navy will commence graveside services.

In lieu of flowers friends may make contributions to The Shepard Home, 1959 Five Mile Line Rd, Penfield, NY 14526 or online at:https://www.shepherdhome.org/memorial-donation/ in Marty's memory.

To sign his online guestbook scroll to the bottom of this page.