Susan Herda Peters

January 16, 1938 – February 26, 2026

Susan Mary (Herda) Peters was born on January 16, 1938, in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the only child of Audrey Karwacki Herda and Edward Watson Herda. Early in her teens, she met John Alvin Peters, who attended another Baltimore high school. They fell in love and raised a loving family together. Their marriage spanned nearly 70 years, including moves to Greensboro, North Carolina; Princeton, New Jersey; Louisville, Kentucky, and back to Greensboro.

Sue was a force of nature, and she loved her family fiercely. She and John imparted a strong work ethic and good values in their sons and grandchildren. Her eldest grandson called her “Diddie” which became her nickname because such an extraordinary grandmother deserves a unique name. Diddie was smart, loyal, and truly fun to be with. She was an excellent cook, a master seamstress, an extremely competent homemaker, and an avid reader. Diddie was by all measures a woman possessing two green thumbs. She and John had an extensive, bountiful vegetable garden on their Oak Ridge property. During the early years of their retirement, they founded and operated a plant nursery business called “Caroliners.” In later years, she enjoyed lunch with her Red Hat friends, water aerobics, and shopping for bargains. She had a soft spot in her heart for animals, enjoyed family beach trips, and appreciated the beauty of a full moon.

In early 2010, Sue was diagnosed with stage 3B non-small cell lung cancer. She faced this devastating news with characteristic strength and resolve to fight. Her family was incredibly fortunate that her care was assigned to Dr. Mohamed K. Mohamed of Cone Health Cancer Center. He quickly determined through genetic testing that she was a candidate for an oral chemotherapy drug called Tarceva. Dr. Mohamed and his team enabled Sue to live a full life for over 15 years after her diagnosis. The Peters family knows they are blessed beyond measure for those years together.

Sue is survived by her beloved husband John; their three sons: Mark (Judy) of Greensboro, Rick (Connie) of Chattanooga, and Myles (Fran) of Oak Ridge; seven grandchildren: Josh, Cory, Seth, Ben, Jessica, Ella, and Cooper; and nine great-grandchildren: Olivia, Charlotte, Creighton, Lincoln, Claire, Chloe, Carter, Owen, and Simon. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Susan Peters Kogut and former daughter-in-law Melissa Peters.

Sue Peters was an amazing woman whose memory is cherished and whose remarkable legacy lives on throughout her family. The Peters family would like to express their deep gratitude to Dr. Mohamed Mohamed, Dr. Wendy McNeill, and RN Stephanie Jarrell and the entire team at Liberty Hospice (Thomasville office). They would also like to sincerely thank the caregivers of Hallmark Homecare, notably Pam Williamson and Loysie Parker. Lastly, they would like to lovingly acknowledge Linda Morrison, Sue’s dear friend for many decades.