Gregg Reynold Peterson, 65, of Durham, North Carolina, passed on to his Heavenly Father on November 27, 2019 after a battle with a rare, aggressive cancer. Gregg grew up in Coral Gables, Florida where he miraculously overcame his first battle with cancer at the age of 17; leaving him an above-the-knee amputee. Gregg went on to complete a bachelor’s degree at Florida State University in World Religion. He served on staff with Cru at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he met his wife, Mary. Together they moved to Chicago, Illinois and Gregg received a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Gregg began his early career as a minister with the Christian Missionary Alliance. He studied for and completed his ordination with the CMA, pastoring two churches; one in New Castle, Indiana and the second bringing him to North Carolina and the town of Garner, NC. Gregg was known to be a compassionate, tender minister who guided, comforted and led by example, those within his care.
The second half of his early career began with a position as a chaplain at Holly Hill Hospital in Raleigh, NC where he worked within a Christian treatment program, Meier Clinics. Here he learned much about those suffering from psychiatric and addictive disorders as well as grief and depression. Again, he was known for his gentle and calming manner.
The latter half of his career found him working as Senior Manager for the AICPA in Durham, NC. It was here at the Association, (Association of International Certified Professional Accountants,) that Gregg’s natural management skills were utilized. Known as a “good boss” by many, it was often said that people enjoyed working for him due to his family-first attitude. With this attitude, he built teams who were high-achieving, co-operative and successful. Gregg loved going to work at the AICPA for the past twelve years.
Gregg was a strong and courageous person who was extremely loving and caring despite often battling physical pain. His life-long story of perseverance through suffering was an inspiration to others. He loved his family well and adored his five grandchildren. Often a father figure and grandfather figure to others, he was sometimes known to put on a Santa suit at the right occasion, to the delight of young and old alike. Gregg looked forward to football and hockey seasons, cheering for NC State and the Carolina Hurricanes; one of his favorite things was watching sports with his sons. He was a father who made his sons proud and was happily a father figure to others over the years.
Gregg is survived by his wife, Mary T. Peterson; sons, Michael Peterson and his wife, Megan, and Timothy Peterson and his wife, Sarah; grandchildren, Hampton, Mae Haywood and Madeline, and Abby and Jack; and brother, Brett Peterson and his wife, Georgiann; and their daughter Lauren, her husband Andres and their son Benjamin. Gregg was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Corinne Peterson of Coral Gables, Florida.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, December 8, 2019 from 6:00-8:00pm at Mitchell Funeral Home, 7209 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh. A funeral service will be held on Monday, December 9, 2019 at 1:00pm at Vintage Church, 118 South Person Street, Raleigh, followed by burial at Raleigh Memorial Park.
Flowers are welcome; in lieu of these, donations may be made to Compassion, International, an organization feeding children in poverty around the world, https://www.compassion.com/donate.
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