Barbara Carr remembers the good times she had growing up with her friend, Jean Hoadley Peterson.

The two girls would ride their bikes through Manheim Township in the late 1950s and sit together every Sunday in the balcony of First Methodist Church.

In the 1960s, they double-dated in high school and shared duties at the scorer's table at Blue Streaks track meets.

On Fridays, Jean's mother, Virginia, would take the girls to Philadelphia, where they'd shop at Wanamaker's.

"That was just the best thing since sliced bread," Carr recalled of the trips. "I had the best time tagging along. They treated me like one of the family."

After the friends graduated from Manheim Township High School in 1964, Peterson's family moved to California.

She returned to Lancaster for a visit in 1975, but that was the last time the two high school confidantes were together.

Today, Carr regrets not keeping in touch with her friend, who was killed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

To assure that others don't forget Peterson — and the thousands of others who perished that day — Carr led an effort to have her friend's name become a permanent part of their alma mater.

On Sept. 10, the health room and nurse's office at Manheim Township High School will be christened the Jean Hoadley Peterson Health Suite in honor of Peterson, who worked as a nurse and nursing instructor.

In addition, a plaque hailing Peterson as "a devoted mother, nurse, teacher and volunteer" will be presented to family members at Friday's Manheim Township High School football game.

The plaque, featuring Peterson's high school yearbook photo, will be erected at the entrance to the health suite.

The dedication will mark the first time Manheim Township School District has approved a permanent naming rights contract for one of its buildings.

The agreement calls for a $40,000 contribution from a scholarship fund established in memory of Peterson.

That money will pay for the sign and plaque, with the remainder going to the Manheim Township Educational Foundation, which provides grants for teaching materials and education programs at district schools.

Under the naming rights agreement, the foundation must use a portion of the money to present an educational program on the events of 9/11 on each five-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

That will assure that future generations of Manheim Township students understand the personal impact of the attacks, Carr said.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Peterson and her husband, Don, were traveling to San Francisco to visit Peterson's parents for a reunion trip to Yosemite National Park.

The couple was scheduled to board Flight 91 out of Newark International Airport, but got on an earlier plane.

They apparently decided to switch to Flight 93 because it was so empty, but family members will never know why, said Catherine Price, Jean's daughter.

About 45 minutes into the flight, four terrorists hijacked the Boeing 757-200, apparently intending to crash the plane in Washington, D.C.

As passengers attempted to regain control of the airliner, it crashed into a field in Shanksville, killing all 44 people onboard.

The victims were among the nearly 3,000 people killed in 9/11 terror attacks in Shanksville, New York City and the Pentagon.

Carr remembers the day well.

"I was shocked and saddened, thinking about just the horror of the day and what this meant to America," she said.

"It didn't hit me personally that whole day. Then I came home and sat down and listened to the news and saw her name.

"It was like, 'Wow.' It really hit home and became a lot more personal."

Carr was filled with sadness over losing her friend, whom she described as "very bright, very dedicated and always wanting to help others."

After moving to California, Peterson earned a degree in nursing and a master's degree in education from Columbia University.

She taught nursing courses in New Jersey for several years and later became an emergency medical technician with an ambulance squad.

In her later years, she volunteered as a counselor at a pregnancy center and provided medical aid on church trips overseas.

Despite her busy life, Price said her mom "was kind of the archetypal mother."

"I think her happiest moments were spent with us and the kids — her family," she said.

Carr had only minimal contact with Peterson after her friend moved away.

Many times, Carr said, she would think about writing to Peterson but never found the time — in the era before e-mail — to dash off a letter.

"I kept thinking, 'I'll do it, I'll do it, I'll do it,' and I never did," she said. "Corresponding is so much easier now.

"I was putting that off, and look what happened. I can't get in touch with her now."

Shortly after 9/11, Carr contacted former classmates and other donors to establish a scholarship fund in Peterson's memory.

The fund, which now totals about $60,000, has provided grants for education programs on health care careers, biology, chemistry, public health issues and tolerance.

The health suite dedication is an extension of that effort to honor Peterson and the causes she believed in, Carr said.

"We wanted to turn it into something that was permanent but will still be for educational purposes," she said.

Price, who plans to attend Friday's ceremony, said "it's great to have a permanent memorial that speaks to" her mother's career.

"We're completely touched and grateful that Manheim Township has been able to honor our mom this way," she said.

bwallace@lnpnews.com