Jacquelyn “Jackie” Peterson, age 86, of Burnsville, passed on from this life to be with her family after a long illness, leaving behind a legacy of devotion, kindness, and a life lived in steady service to those she loved.
A native and lifelong resident of Yancey County, she was a daughter of the late Myrtle Irene McIntosh Peterson who passed away in 2001. Also preceding her in death were two sisters, Maxie Hunter and Billie Peterson Byrd Johnson.
Jackie was a cherished member of First Baptist Church Burnsville, where she sang joyfully in the choir, forming many treasured friendships within her church community. She spent numerous years working as the personal assistant to the president of the University of North Carolina Asheville, and retired from there. Although she had a meaningful career, her greatest commitment was to her family. She chose to make her home the center of her life so she could lovingly care for her mother and sister. Her devotion to them was constant and a defining part of who she was. One of her greatest joys was “riding around”, as she called it, driving through the mountains and backroads with her sister, family or friends by her side. Those simple, happy adventures later led them to nearby states, where they enjoyed seeing new sights and sharing time with those she held most dear.
Her loved ones who remain to honor her life include a sister, Helen Peterson of Burnsville; eight nieces and nephews: Ellen Miller of Red Hill, Tony Byrd of Jacks Creek, Ricky Byrd (Myra) of Burnsville, Lisa Franklin of Blue Rock, Jimmy Hunter (Angelita) of Chester, VA, Louis Hunter of Atlanta, GA, Maria Anderson (Rich) of Marion, and Blake Hunter of Johnson City, TN; 13 great-nieces and great-nephews; and her cherished friends, Pam Anglin and Jan Sparks, along with her other church family.
Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 12th in the chapel of Yancey Funeral Services. Pastor Tommy James will officiate. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. prior to the services at the funeral home. The family will travel in procession from the funeral home for graveside services to be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 13th at the Proffitt Cemetery on Hardscrabble Road.
Memorial donations may be made to Samaritan’s Purse at P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.
To send an online condolence please visit: www.yanceyfuneralservice.com
