Meg J. Petersen, 69

Dr. Meg Joanna Petersen died on Thursday, Oct. 19, at her home in Plymouth. She was 69 years old.

Meg Petersen was born in Peterborough, the daughter of Dorothy Donovan and Walter R. Peterson Jr., on Oct. 8, 1954. Meg was educated in Peterborough public schools and went on to graduate from Franklin Pierce College in 1977 with an interdisciplinary major in English, sociology and education. In the fall of that year, Meg took a job as a teacher at the Anna Philbrook Center in Concord, beginning a lifelong career in education.

In 1981, Meg moved to Bermuda after accepting a teaching position at the Devon Lane School. She would live and work in Bermuda for four years. Meg returned to the United States in 1985 and began a doctoral program in reading and writing instruction at the University of New Hampshire, but it was not long before she left the country again. While in graduate school, Meg moved to the Dominican Republic with her then-husband, Carlos González. It was there that she completed her dissertation, “Vivencias: Writing as a Way into a New Language and Culture,” working with American Peace Corps volunteers.

Meg received her Ph.D. in May of 1991 and accepted a position at Plymouth State University that same year. She would go on to be a professor in the English department at PSU for 30 years and serve as coordinator of the graduate programs in English education. Meg was a dedicated educator who was passionate about teaching writing and training teachers. At the core of her teaching practice was a belief in the power of learning to change lives for the better and the ability of educators to help students unlock their full potential, regardless of circumstance.

Through the teacher certification program at PSU, Meg worked with schools throughout NH, arranging student teacher placements. The impact of her work can be felt in schools across the state.

Throughout her tenure at Plymouth, Meg received recognition from the PSU community as a professor and scholar: she was awarded both the Undergraduate and Graduate Distinguished Teaching Awards (2000 and 2006); the Stevens-Bristow Distinguished Professorship (2014-2017); and the Dennise Maslakowski Education Award (2016). Meg retired from PSU and was granted the title of professor emerita in 2021.

Meg was also deeply involved with professional organizations throughout her career, such as the National Council of Teachers of English and the National Writing Project. In 2001, Meg founded the New Hampshire site of NWP. As site director, she coordinated summer writing institutes at PSU and managed the Scholastic Writing Contest in New Hampshire. Each year, she compiled and edited student work from the contest into an anthology titled Middle High School Voices.

Although Meg was deeply rooted in New Hampshire, personally and professionally, she was also connected to the Dominican Republic. She was bilingual, publishing and teaching in both English and Spanish, and embraced a transnational identity. As a two-time Fulbright Scholar (2008 and 2015) Meg worked with colleagues and educators in the Dominican Republic on teaching writing in Dominican schools. This work, coupled with her involvement with the National Writing Project, led to the creation of the Proyecto de Escritura Nacional, the Dominican site of NWP in 2016. Meg considered the Dominican Republic another home and the friends she made there to be family.

In the final years of her life, Meg taught at Southern New Hampshire University, Universidad APEC in the Dominican Republic (remotely) and as an ESL and composition teacher in the Manchester School District. A teacher to the end.

Beyond her contributions to teaching, Meg was a lifelong writer and poet. Her writing appeared in a number of journals, blogs and anthologies. Her poems won prizes with the New England Association of Teachers of English and the Seacoast Writers Association, among others, and she was named as a feature poet by the New Hampshire Arts Council. Meg was also a reader. She began and ended each day by reading, and she described her books as “companions.” She also loved the outdoors and was an avid hiker. A deeply generous person, she frequently opened her home to those in need of support. To all who knew her, she will be missed for her insight, sharp wit and snarky humor.

Meg Petersen leaves three sons, Sam González (Seda Babroudi), Marc González, and Max Peterson (Jailyn Gladney); a brother, Andrew Peterson, and his wife, Kirsten; and countless friends and colleagues in both New Hampshire and the Dominican Republic.

A memorial service for family and friends will be held in Heritage Commons at Plymouth State University at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9.

The Mayhew Funeral Homes and Crematorium in Meredith and Plymouth are honored to assist the Petersen family with their arrangements. To sign the book of memories, go to mayhewfuneralhomes.com.