Wanda Peterson

Wanda Sue Bohon Peterson, a skilled teacher, avid volunteer and loving parent, died Thursday Sept. 12, 2013 of natural causes. She was 73.Wanda Sue Bohon was born in Manhattan, Kan., in 1940. She later moved with her parents to Chattanooga, where she attended Central High School, then located downtown.Her accolades at Central were many. Peterson was a Key Club sweetheart, an ROTC queen and the vice-president of Centrals social club, the Nite Owls. She also appeared on Centrals May Day court.She graduated from high school in 1958 and continued her higher education in Evanston, Ill., where she attended National College of Education. While at National College, she was awarded the Mary Crane Scholarship. Peterson received her degree in 1962, having set the groundwork for a distinguished career in elementary education.In 1962, she married Daniel L. Peterson Jr., then an aspiring basketball coach.Head Start gave Peterson her first teaching job. She followed that position with stints at Patton Elementary in Arlington Heights, Ill.; Cornell Elementary near East Lansing, Mich.; and Leasure Elementary in Bear, Del.She joined the Peace Corps in 1972 with her husband and moved to Santiago, Chile, where he coached the Chilean national team, and she taught first grade at Nido de Augilas International School. They served in the Peace Corps until 1973, when he accepted a coaching job overseas. She returned to Chattanooga to be near her parents.In Chattanooga, Peterson worked as a substitute teacher at Allen Elementary in Soddy-Daisy, all while raising four children. In addition, she became a regular volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House and the Tennessee Aquarium. Later in life, she was active with Grace United Methodist Church in Soddy-Daisy. She also took a position at Wal-Mart.Not since George Bailey vanished from Bedford Falls on a lonely winter night has the sudden absence of one person been felt so strong by so many. Peterson is survived by her ex-husband, Daniel Peterson, of Milan, Italy; and by her four children, William Joseph Peterson, of Chattanooga; John Jeffrey Peterson, of Nashville; Jennifer Peterson Brousseau, of Charlotte, N.C.; and Robert Jason Peterson, of Los Angeles, Calif. She is also survived by two grandchildren, Dylan Alexander Brousseau and Caroline Marin Brousseau.There will be a service today at 3 p.m. at Hamilton Memorial Gardens, 5351 Highway 153. Rev. Mitch McClure of Middle Valley Church of God will officiate