Norma Jean Peterson

Norma Jean Peterson passed away on January 29, 2024, after a lengthy illness at the age of eighty-six. She was born in Johnsonville, South Carolina and is preceded in death by her parents, John Marion Newell and Tulah Hughes Newell, and her siblings John Newell, Beverly Ann Newell Boswell, Juanita Newell Maranville, Vesta Newell Woodfield, Genevieve Newell Owens, and son Robert Alan Peterson. She is survived by her husband, Richard K. Peterson; children Sandra Peterson Anderson (Dale), Richard K. Peterson (Deborah), Robert L. Peterson (Felicia); sisters Mary Coughlin, Wilma Legretha Jackson, and Talou Altman; grandchildren Jennifer Anderson-Braddock (Sydney), John Peterson, and Charlie Peterson; great-grandson Nolan Braddock; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was Daddy’s helper on the tobacco farm until graduating from Hemingway High School. She moved to Charleston, SC for Business School and met her husband of 67 years before settling down in Gainesville, Florida. She worked as an administrative assistant in the athletic offices at the University of Florida for many years. She was known as “Mom” to many of the collegiate baseball and track athletes during their time (tenure) at the University of Florida. Her expertise with track and field earned her a position at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. After retirement and moving to Ormond Beach, FL and then Fort Worth, TX she continued to support Gator athletics by attending many home football games. During her lifetime she enjoyed traveling to all fifty states. She read her Bible daily and was a loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She was surrounded by her children when she went to be with the Lord. Her loving nature and her kindness and grace will be missed by all her friends and family. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to: Robert Alan Peterson Memorial Fund, Fund 007201, 2024 University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 32611. https://www.uff.ufl.edu/giving-opportunities/007201-robert-alan-peterson-memorial-fund/ or CurePSP 325 Hudson St., 4th Floor, New York, New York 10013 Curepsp.org. The funeral service will be held at 1:30 on Friday February 23rd at Forest Meadows Funeral Home 725 NW 23rd Ave., Gainesville, FL. 32609-3537. A visitation will be held from 12:00 to 1:30 on Friday February 23rd at Forest Meadows Funeral Home. The burial will follow the service at 3:00 on February 23rd, 2024, at Forest Meadows Cemetery, 3700 SE Hawthorne Rd. Gainesville, FL 32641

Norma Jean Peterson

December 4, 1937 - January 29, 2024