Jennie Lee Peterman

Jennie Lee (Hawkins) Peterman, a long-time resident of Austin, passed away March 25, 2020, at age 89. Jennie was born in Austin, Texas, on February 27, 1931. Jennie was a loving, creative, social, and caring woman who treasured spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, and friends. She loved to engage people, always being there to help in any way she could. She truly cared for those around her and treated everyone with respect and compassion. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to all.

Jennie grew up in south Austin near Little Stacy Park. Jennie attended Austin Public Schools and graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in 1948. She attended nearby Grace United Methodist Church, where she met her future husband Stanley Peterman. They were both active in the church’s MYF youth ministry. They remained active in the church throughout their lives.

Jennie and Stanley were married in on June 2, 1950. After Stanley graduated from the University of Texas in 1951, they moved to Dallas, Texas. They moved back to Austin 2 years later while expecting their first child. In 1960, they built a house near Zilker Elementary to accommodate their growing family. During these years, Jennie was very active – raising, chauffeuring, and caring for her five children as well as volunteering and socializing with many friends.

As a member of Grace United Methodist Church, Jennie was active with running charity activities, hosting Sunday School and church events, and serving in various roles including Trustees. Jennie and her family created many lasting friendships and memories at Grace.

Jennie loved to be creative, and chose to do so in multiple ways. One way was to make decorative cakes for her children’s birthdays and eventually those of her grandchildren. Theme-based cakes became her specialty, particularly for grandchildren birthdays. When one approached, she would ask what was wanted. Her creations were special and wide-ranging, and she always did her best to meet the request.

She also learned to paint, taking different classes and creating many cherished paintings. She became enchanted with miniatures and worked with her close friends to form a miniature club and to join the Association of Miniaturists. They built miniature scenes and attended conventions together.

This creativity and a fondness for crafts found a perfect match with her grandchildren. Jennie and Stanley spent many hours, days, and weekends with their grandchildren, and Jennie would create a craft activity almost every time. They would build with popsicle sticks, paint with watercolor or acrylics, draw with Crayons or pencils, make dolls, build with blocks, and do many other crafts.

Jennie would decorate the house for each Holiday, but the biggest transition was for Christmas. Multiple rooms were decked out with Santas, wreaths, holiday villages, arrangements, etc. Halloween was also one of her favorite times. Jennie would set up a cauldron outside the front door and dress up as a witch, greeting the children as they came down the driveway. Not only did her own children and grandchildren love this, but multiple generations of neighbors and their kids would come to visit her over the years.

Jennie’s love of nature and exploration led her to vast collections of rocks, shells, bones, and other artifacts found throughout her life. She would collect and document her finds. Friends knew this and would also bring her things. She also found a home in gardening. She tended to her own gardens which had beautiful plants and flowers. She loved her time with and became very active in the Zilker Garden Club.

Jennie and Stanley took many memorable trips during their 60 years of marriage, and Jennie documented each in a photo album. They explored Texas and traveled throughout the United States including trips to California, Niagara Falls, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, the Rocky Mountains, Mount Rainier, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and the Grand Canyon. For her 75th birthday, their children took them to Savanah and the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina, as Jennie loved the history and beauty of those places.

After Stanley passed in 2011, Jennie continued living in their home. She hosted an exhibit of her collections there, showing an amazing array of antique clothes, glass, and tools as well as bones and other items collected over her journeys. She remained active in family gatherings, graduations, and other family events. Every Christmas the family gathered, and she would build gingerbread houses for decorating by the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. More recently, Jennie lived in retirement communities in south and north Austin. As she always did, she made many friends and was cherished as a sweet, caring woman.

Jennie is survived by daughter Donna; sons Chris (wife JoEllen), David (wife Angela), Anthony (wife Kristie), and Brian (wife Adele); grandchildren Larry, Lisa, Ashley, Jeffrey, Andrew, Jack, William, Claire, Brooke, Emma, and Matthew; and great grandchildren Sierra, Rowan, Frederick, and Stanley. Jennie is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Stanley, brothers Gordon and Gene, father Ernest Hawkins, and mother Oreon Daffern Hawkins.

The Family would like to thank the Doctors, Nurses, and Caregivers that helped Jennie in her last months. In particular, the Family would like to thank the staff of Brookdale Northwest for their efforts in the last weeks.

The Family also thanks and deeply appreciates the friends and family for the love and prayers that went to Jennie and the Family.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a Charity of your choice. A memorial service and celebration of Jennie’s life will be held later.

Condolences may be made at www.cookwaldenforestoaks.com.