John Daniel Peterson, Jr

A TIME TO BE BORN JOHN DANIEL PETERSON JR. WAS BORN ON MAY 16TH, 1945, IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA TO THE LATE RENA MAE WRIGHT AND JOHN PETERSON SR. RENA WOULD MEET AND MARRY CRAWFORD BAKER 2 YEARS LATER. CRAWFORD WAS THE ONLY DADDY HE KNEW, LOVED, AND UPHELD AS DAD. A TIME TO PLANT JOHN ATTENDED ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND GRADUATED FROM DAVID T. HOWARD IN 1963. HIS “SMARTS” EARNED HIM A MATH SCHOLARSHIP AND A BAND SCHOLARSHIP WAS OFFERED AS WELL. HE CHOSE TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY INSTEAD OF ATTENDING A UNIVERSITY. A TIME TO LOVE IN 1963, JOHN AND DIANNE WERE INTRODUCED BY THEIR MOTHERS, WHO WERE NEIGHBORS AND GOOD FRIENDS. AFTER A FIRST DATE (CARD PARTY) AND 4 YEARS LATER, THE TWO BECAME ONE. ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1967, JOHN AND DIANNE BECAME HUSBAND AND WIFE. FROM THIS UNION, 3 DAUGHTERS WERE BORN—STACI PETERSON (DWAYNE PORTER), ERIKA LITTLE (ERIC), AND BRITTNEY PETERSON (EUGENE). A TIME TO WORK JOHN ENTERED THE AIR FORCE IMMEDIATELY AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, SERVING 6 YEARS. HE ENTERED THE WORK FORCE AS A U.S. POSTAL SERVICE WORKER FOR 4-5 YEARS. HE TRADED HIS “POST OFFICE UNIFORM” FOR A “MARTA UNIFORM” AND WORKED AT THERE DILIGENTLY FOR 32 YEARS. HE RETIRED FROM MARTA FEBUARY 1ST, 2002 AS A CHIEF RAIL INSTRUCTOR. A TIME TO WEEP JOHN DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 16TH, 2023. HE IS NOW WITH JESUS CHRIST, WHOM HE AFFECIONATELY DUBBED “THE CHIEF, SUPREME GOD” WHEN RECENTLY ASKED, “DAD WHO IS JESUS?”. HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY CAROLYN DALLAS (SISTER AND “ACE”), CYNTHIA BAKER (SISTER), AND CRAWFORD BAKER (BROTHER). HE LEAVES BEHIND TO CHERISH MANY, MANY MEMORIES 1 SISTER: LINDA JOHNSON….5 GRANDKIDS: JOHN PETERSON III (KEENA), ELAHN LITTLE, BRANDON LITTLE, JOSHUA PORTER, DARIAN PORTER….1 GREAT GRANDKID: AUGUST NOAH…HIS FAVORITE COUSIN, BOOT (CYNT JEAN)….HIS NEIGHBOR-BROTHER, GREG GARVIN (DOT)…..AND A BESTFRIEND, THOMAS WALKER (LOLA)……AND A HOST OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHOM HE LOVED GREATLY. HE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS ACTS OF SERVICE AND SUPPORT TO HIS LOVED ONES AND FOR HIS HUMILITY. HE LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THOSE WHO HAD THE PLEASURE OF GETTING TO KNOW HIM. HIS GENEROSITY, LOVE, KNOWLEDGE, AND LIGHT-HEARTEDNESS IS SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE.

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John Daniel Peterson, Jr

May 16, 1945 - October 16, 2023