MARJORIE P. VAITONIS's Obituary
U.S. Army Retired. Born in Holyoke, Massachusetts November 1, 1921, the Middle Child and only daughter of Ida Marie (Jensen) Peterson and Peter Peterson.
Graduated from Chicopee High School in 1939. She was a graduate of Holyoke Hospital Training School for Nurses and attended classes at George Washington University in Washington D.C. After Graduation from nursing school, she worked at Holyoke Hospital in Massachusetts from 1943 to 1944. In July she joined the Army Nursing Corps and received her training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin and Battle Creek Hospital in Michigan. She then went overseas with the 179th General Hospital Group, Serving 2 years in the European Theater an participating in the landing at D-Day. During that time she earned the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. Marjorie earned the rank of Captain in July 1951 while stationed at Brook Army Hospital, Fort Sam Houston, Texas and was honorably discharged from the military in October of 1952.
She worked as a charge nurse at Baptist Hospital from 1961 to 1981. In the early 1960's she also participated in operation Peter Pan flights to assist and provide medical care for children fleeing Cuba whose parents opposed the revolutionary government of Fidel Castro just prior to the Cuban missile Crisis of 1962.
After she left Baptist Hospital, she worked for Florida Home Health until she retired. During her retirement she busied herself working in the Miami office of Habitat for Humanity, where she met President Jimmy Carter and enjoying activities at the Retired Officers Club.
She was a resident of South Florida for 62 years. She had a quick wit, kind heart, loved history, music, the Lord, her country and family. She was loved by everyone who knew her.
Survived by her daughter, Christine Thompson, son Peter Vaitonis, grandson Robert Clark, Charles Clark and his wife Ali, and six nieces: Sherry Shearlin, Marge Pietras, Karen Turgeon, Kristen Winkle, Virginia "Gin" McDonough and Marjorie Martin. And friend of 50 years Miss Estelle Barkan.
In Lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations in her name (Captain Marjorie P. Vaitonis) to the: Wounded Warrior Projects @ (www.woundedwarriorproject.org/Programs) in honor of the many wounded warriors and released POW's she tended to during WW II and years of service in the U.S. Army.
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