Martha Alice (Willis) Peterson

Martha “Alice” Peterson, 84, of McRae, Georgia, passed peacefully in her sleep, with her daughter, Mitsy, by her side, at Serenity Hospice in Dublin, Georgia on December 27, 2019. A graveside service will be held at 1:00P.M., Monday, December 30, at Telfair Memorial Gardens, followed by visitation at Vaughn Funeral Home.

Alice was born to Herbert and Martha (Williams) Willis on February 02, 1935 in Jefferson, Georgia. She played varsity basketball for and then graduated from Concord High School in 1953.   She went on to attend Georgia State University and work in the Atlanta area prior to marrying John A. Peterson IV in 1955. They settled in McRae, Georgia and raised their four children. While her children were young, Alice was a homemaker, served as the den mother for the Cub Scouts and was a faithful member of McRae First Baptist Church and later Scotland Baptist Church.  When her children got older, she found employment with the Telfair County Board of Education mentoring and teaching students with special needs until her retirement in 2000. She was beloved by students and staff and was affectionately known as Miss. Pete.

She is survived by her daughter, Mitsy Peterson, of Milledgeville; son, John A. (Johnny) Peterson V, of McRae; grandchildren, Jessica Lister of Hollonville, Dylan Ellzey of Valdosta, and Elizabeth Peterson Whittington (Cory) of Gray. Alice is also survived by sisters, Ellen Watson (Danny) of Monticello, Georgia, Joyce Whittaker (Walter) of Euless, Texas and Anne Whitworth of Pickens, South Carolina. She has five great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Martha Willis, her husband, John A. Peterson IV, her brothers Herbert Willis and Charles Willis, both of Pike County, Georgia, her sister Eleanor Edwards of Jasper County, her daughters, Galen Peterson and Helen Peterson Ellzey and a grandson, Kyle Ellzey of McRae.

The family would like to express sincere thanks to everyone who visited, prayed for and loved Alice Peterson while she resided at McRae Manor.