Joan E. Peterson, age 87, passed away on Friday December 6, 2019 at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston NJ. Born and raised in Wilkes Barre PA, Joan has resided in Plainfield since 1953. Joan earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Misericordia University in Dallas, PA and later had done graduate work at Temple University in Philadelphia PA. Joan began her lifelong teaching career in the Plainfield and South Plainfield Elementary school systems. She retired in 1999 as a fifth-grade teacher at Our Lady of Fatima in Piscataway after teaching for many years. Joan was an avid reader, loved traveling and spending time at the family lake house in Pennsylvania. She was an amazing cook and her holiday meals will be greatly missed by her family. She is predeceased by her husband Milton William Peterson in 1985. Joan is survived by her two daughters: Barbara Duggan and her husband James and Pamela Borek and her husband Dr. John Borek; four grandchildren Christopher, Tyler, Kyle and Emily Duggan and her loving sister Barbara Aszuk. A visitation will be held on Wednesday December 11, 2019 at Higgins Home for Funerals 752 Mountain Blvd. Watchung NJ from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. Funeral services will begin on Thursday at 9:00 am at the funeral home followed by a 10:00 am Funeral Mass at St. Joseph’s RC Church in North Plainfield NJ. The interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains. Memorial Donations may be made to the New Jersey State Organization of Cystic Fibrosis 137 Union Boulevard Totowa, New Jersey 07512