FALMOUTH, N.S. — Even when she was sick in the hospital, Carole Peterson never stopped caring for others — going so far as to make sure birthday presents were purchased and cards were sent to friends.
Peterson, the founder of the Accidental Actors theatre troupe, lost a quick battle with cancer on Nov. 25. She was 78.
Her passing has left big shoes to fill.
Peterson’s obituary reads that she will be “remembered as a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was a true philanthropist and servant of her community, always putting everyone else first.”
That’s how Diane Fitzgerald remembers Peterson.
“Right to the end, she was thinking of other people,” she said.
Fitzgerald first met Peterson while working at the Hants Community Hospital in Windsor in the mid-1980s. They became fast friends.
“I would say if you looked up the definition of a friend in the dictionary, you’d find Carole Peterson,” said Fitzgerald when recalling her friend and former co-worker.
“She was just the kind of person that was always there for you; it didn’t matter how long she knew you, if she thought you needed help with anything, she’d be the first to say, ‘we have to help this person,’” she added.
Peterson grew up in Falmouth and joined the Air Force in the 1950s. After leaving the service, she lived, for a time, in Ontario and had three children. She moved back to Hants County and has been helping others ever since.
“She had gone through a rough time on her own when she was bringing up three small kids,” Fitzgerald recalled, “and said she’d give back, pay it forward. She was just that kind of person.”
ACCIDENTAL ACTORS FORMED
Peterson formed the Accidental Actors, a charity dinner theatre acting troupe comprised of amateur actors. It has been a registered society since 2003.
More than $300,000 has been raised for a variety of groups and organizations since the non-profit was created.
“We even went to Meteghan one year because a fisherman drowned and they were doing a fundraiser for the family,” said Fitzgerald, who was inspired to join Peterson’s group in 2004.
Peterson was involved with all aspects of Accidental Actors, whether it was writing plays, acting, directing, doing set design, creating props and costumes, or coaching.
“We will miss her laughter, insight and compassion. We will do our best to carry on her legacy,” a social media post by the troupe read as they prepared to say goodbye to their beloved director.
“She was a very social person. She loved to paint,” said Fitzgerald.
“In fact, when we were making the scenery for our plays, she painted most of them.”
Fitzgerald said some of her paintings were so realistic it made the audience do a double take.
She also loved to go thrift shopping, and “was always MacGyvering things to make costumes.”
A KIND SOUL
West Hants coun. Jennifer Daniels honoured Peterson at the last committee of the whole meeting of 2019. In an interview, she said she’s known Peterson for 25 to 30 years and thought highly of her.
“She was a dynamic force in the community,” said Daniels, who, for a time, lived a few doors down from Peterson.
“She was humbling, down to earth and so gracious and welcoming to everyone. She accepted everyone for who they are. I don’t ever recall her passing judgment on anyone,” she said.
Daniels said she attended a few of Peterson’s plays and was always impressed with the professionalism.
“She would just take a simple topic like the chicken coop and make an ordeal out of it and they were hilarious but they always had meaning behind them. There was always a purpose behind her stories,” said Daniels.
And, she always brought out the best in people.
“Whether you were a good actor or not, she made you an excellent actor,” said Daniels.
“She took regular community members and brought them together for a wonderful purpose and created this wonderful little family.”
Aside from her beloved theatre, Peterson wrote two books — a children’s book and a book on the history of Falmouth. She also worked at the Windsor Hockey Heritage Museum, where Daniels said she served as an ambassador for the entire region.
“She didn’t just sell the hockey heritage museum but she sold the community as a whole – Windsor and West Hants. She was an avid historian so she would talk about the whole region,” said Daniels, noting she met someone in her flower shop, years later, who came back to visit because of having such a positive tour bus experience when they met Peterson.
“She has left a huge hole in our community, but she’s left a wonderful legacy,” said Daniels.
Peterson is survived by her husband, Ron Robinson; sons, Chip (Sue-Ellen), Tom (Traci Curry) and Barry (Teresa); eight grandchildren; a brother and a sister.
A funeral service celebrating Peterson’s life was held in Upper Falmouth on Nov. 29, which was followed by a high tea in the Falmouth Community Hall.
“Everybody just thought so much of her. Her funeral was so big, people were standing out in the cold,” Fitzgerald recalled.
A dinner theatre fundraiser for Peterson’s family is still going ahead as planned on Jan. 18 at the Brooklyn Civic Centre.
“She was a friend for life,” said Fitzgerald.
