Florence Arlene ( Wiley ) Peterson, 89, of Indiana, died Wednesday, February 3, 2016, at the Indiana Regional Medical Center.

She was the daughter of the late Sevia Vern Wiley and Mildred Isabelle Lucas Wiley. She was born in Tyrone, Pa. on November 15, 1926.

Arlene was a 1944 graduate of Indiana High School, and then went on to study nursing at the Indiana Hospital School of Nursing, where she graduated in 1947.

Arlene married Robert C. Sexton on November 19, 1947. She worked as an R.N. at Indiana Hospital, and was one of the first nurses to work in the newly formed ICU Unit when it opened at the hospital. Following the death of her husband Bob, she married her long time friend, John R. Peterson on March 29, 1976. Following her marriage, she retired, and moved to Fresno, California.

Arlene volunteered at the Fresno Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorder Clinic in Fresno and at the St. Agnes Women's Service Guild, also in Fresno. She was a member of the Daughters of the Nile, Sharon Temple and a lifelong member of the Indiana Hospital Nurses' Alumni Association.

She is survived by her daughter, Julie Sexton of Greensburg, Pa. and step daughter, Cindy Kay Peterson of Fresno, California. She is also survived by her two grandsons, Jason R. Podplesky ( Peggy ) of Cincinnati, Ohio and Jonathan M. Podplesky (Stacy) of Nokomis, Florida, and her youngest brother, Don Wiley of Kansa City, Kansas.

She will be dearly missed by her loving great granddaughter, Patience ( Pia ) Podplesky Narducci of West Mifflin and her four grand furbabies,
Dash, Biggs, Bellamia and especially Bailey.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bob in 1971 and husband John in 1989, and siblings Adelaide Wiley Browell, Sevia Glenn (Bud) Wiley, James Gilbert Wiley, Audrey Wiley Stahura, and Robert Gene Wiley.

Friends will be received from 7 to 9 on Friday, February 5, 2016 at the Rairigh-Bence Funeral in Indiana, Pa. The funeral will be on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at 1:30 at the funeral home. The family will receive friends at 12:30, prior to the funeral.

The Rev. Greg Golden of Trinity United Methodist will officiate. Internment will be in the Greenwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Visiting Nurses Association of Indiana County, 850 Hospital Road, # 3000, Indiana Pa. 15701 or the Alice Paul House, P.O. Box 417, Indiana, Pa. 15701