Rae Peterson Selvy, 88, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, died Wednesday, April 18, 2020, at Baystate Medical Center.
A memorial service will be at Orchard Covenant Church at a later date.
Rae Peterson was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, to Paul Raymond and Adelaide Peterson. When she was nine, her family moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, where she attended local schools and graduated from the High School of Commerce. She was employed by Western Mass Electric Company until leaving New England in 1959.
She was an active member of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Springfield where she taught Sunday School for many years, worked with Pioneer Girls and belonged to the Ladies Aid (Covenant Women). Singing with the church choir and youth choir, the Gospelaires, brought her much joy. More recently, Rae attended Orchard Covenant Church in Indian Orchard.
Rae studied voice with the late Ruth Ekberg and, after leaving Springfield to live in Kansas and Minnesota, she continued her love of music by directing a children’s choir. She was a member of the Ladies Choraliers of Luverne, where she was also personnel secretary for Iowa Beef Processors for 12 years until her return to Springfield in 1981. She rejoined WMEC (Eversource) until her retirement in 1993.
Besides her passion for gardening, Rae was an avid golfer for many years, a member of the American Figure Skating Association and a fan of the Boston Red Sox. She lived at Emerson Manor in Longmeadow for the past 14 years and enjoyed friendship with her neighbors.
Rae is survived by her son Daniel (Anita) Selvy of North Carolina and her daughter, Pamela (Roger) Schomacker of Minnesota; three grandchildren, Ashley, Jessica and Stefen; four great-grandchildren, Joshua, Anthony, Grayson and Pearl; and two nieces and a nephew.
Rae was preceded in death by her parents and sisters Lillian (Pete) Blaisdell and Polly Habel.
Wilbraham Funeral Home in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, is in charge of the arrangements.
(0423 F)