Althea Givens Peterson

Althea Givens Peterson was born June 1, 1925 in Narrows, Virginia, a small town located on the New River in Giles County. Althea was the youngest of seven children and learned about hard work and being independent growing up on the family farm. As a teenager, Althea enjoyed reading, going to the movies with friends, and helping her mother with running the house as her older siblings moved out. She graduated from Narrows High School in 1942 as class Salutatorian. Althea was excited to go to Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Virginia that fall and graduated 2 years later with a degree in Secretarial Science. Always very organized and business minded, she worked for a variety of companies, once even working for an office of Hershey Candy in Raleigh.

In the early 1950s, Althea was living and working in Roanoke, Virginia when a friend set her up on a blind date with Stephen G. Peterson, Jr., who had recently graduated from Georgia Tech in Engineering. Althea and "Pete" both admitted there were no sparks on that first date, yet a second date was agreed upon and soon they were married in Narrows on May 22, 1954. It was a marriage with lots of ups, downs, but mostly lots of love that lasted until "death do us part".

Althea enjoyed keeping a stable and happy home for her family which grew in 1959 to include Sarah, and again in 1960 with Linda, and finished with the birth of Stephen III in 1963. Raising a family was very important, and Althea always made a point of being at home when her children returned from school each day. She was a firm parent who could scold you one minute and yet be fixing your favorite dinner the next.

Even with a focus on home and family, Althea was a very active volunteer in many areas. From helping as a grade mother in elementary school, to helping at church with food or secretarial duties, to giving gallons of blood donations over the years and volunteering at Rex Hospital.

Althea's faith in Jesus Christ from an early age shaped her character for the rest of her life. Active in several churches throughout the years, Althea also enjoyed opening her home to youth in Young Life and giving time and money to the Raleigh Rescue Mission and many organizations that helped those in need physically and spiritually. Music was an important part of her life as well, and attending concerts and symphonies were always a joy for her.

Later in life Althea and Pete reveled in the joys of being grandparents to Nathan, Matthew, Katie, Daniel, and Stephanie. Saturday night dinners at a pizza place, or an afternoon of ice cream brought them many memories. They supported the many activities of their grandchildren. Plays, concerts, marching bands and parades, baseball games and dance recitals; you could count on seats being filled by the Petersons. The concerts and games soon became graduation ceremonies and a wedding. Althea and Pete got to see the grandchildren each grow up and begin their own journey through life, knowing how their love and support had shaped each life.

Even as life slowed down, Althea would still drive, and enjoyed doing for others what she could. As she herself admitted "well, I wasn't a saint," her personal faith in Jesus as her Lord and Savior has allowed her to be in heaven rejoicing and praising God in her eternal home.

Althea is now doing what she did when her children were in school so many years ago…she is at Home, waiting for her family to arrive at home when they are done with their work here.

Family will receive friends on Monday, May 10, 2021 from 2-3 pm at Mitchell Funeral Home. Funeral Services, officiated by Rev. Laurie Weicher, will begin at 3 pm in the funeral home chapel, with interment to follow at Raleigh Memorial Park. The service will be Live Streamed for those unable to attend.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Althea’s memory to the Raleigh Rescue Mission, Christian Life Home, Our Daily Bread Ministry, or charity of your choice. Or honor her by donating blood to your local Red Cross!

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