Jane Peterson passed away on January 25, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia in her home of 72 years. She was born October 19, 1924 in Mitchells, Virginia to Edward and Gertrude Mahoney. She was the last and longest-lived survivor of her family of seven brothers and three sisters. She was pre-deceased by her parents and brothers John, James, Thomas, William, Edward, Joseph and Robert and sisters Virginia and Gertrude. Her beloved husband, Allan F Peterson, died in 1985.
She is survived by a loving family: two daughters, Ellen Hutchins (Lloyd) of Groton CT and Beverly Peterson (Joseph Galano) of Williamsburg VA; three grandsons, Edward Hutchins (Alicia) of Raleigh NC, Eric Hutchins (Sarah) of Bethesda MD, and Allan Hutchins (Christie) of Mystic CT; six great-grandchildren: Owen, Harrison, Lily, Sadie, Hobart, and Aria Hutchins; sister-in-law Virginia Mahoney and brother-in-law Hubert Botts; godson Thomas Kay; many beloved nieces and nephews; and wonderful friends and neighbors who dubbed her the Queen of Roberts Road.
Her family moved to Fairfax Station VA in 1928 where her father was the railroad station master for many years. She graduated from the old Fairfax High School in 1942 and went to work, commuting from Fairfax Station to D. C. when there was only one traffic light along the route. She worked as a clerk typist in the Roosevelt and Truman White House until 1947. There she made friends for life and met her future husband in the mailroom, an even more consequential meeting than her formal encounters with FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Truman.
In 1950 Allan and Jane bought a new house in the town of Fairfax where they raised their two daughters. Jane worked part-time for her family doctor, Dr. Delaney, in Alexandria. In 1956, she started working for the Fairfax County Department of Finance and retired from there in 1981. There were grandchildren to go visit.
She was active at St. Leo the Great Roman Catholic Church since the parish was formed. Her motto was that faith, family, and friends are the greatest blessings in life. By her own account, she was richly blessed with all three.
Jane enjoyed many family vacations to Douthat State Park, most recently in 2018. She would travel to wherever her family found themselves and for important family events, whether it be California or Sicily. She traveled to visit her Irish cousins in Ireland, to southern Spain, to Hawaii, and to the Caribbean. In 1987, she was treated by her late husband’s brother and wife to a trip on the Concorde jet to London and return on the Queen Elizabeth II ocean liner.
Jane loved to have tea parties and play cards, especially Pounce and Five Crowns, with family and friends. She and her daughters talked on the phone frequently, but always at 9:00 every Saturday morning. There might not have been much news to share, but those Saturday calls lasted up to ninety minutes.
Jane was extremely grateful for the in-home care given to her by Homewatch CareGivers, Inova Medical House Call Doctors, and Goodwin House Hospice. She and her family especially want to thank Nina, Nawal, Asther, Hannah, Elizabeth, Alem, Yaynemisa, Nurse John, and Dr. Holland for all that they did in Jane’s final days.
Visitations will take place February 3 between 11:00 and 1:00 and between 4:00 and 6:00 at Demaine Funeral Home on Main Street in Fairfax, VA. Her funeral Mass will be offered by her dear friend Father John Kelly on Friday, February 4, at 11:00 at St. Leo the Great, 3700 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA, 22030. Internment next to her husband will follow in Fairfax Memorial Park at 9900 Braddock Road in Fairfax.
If you wish to make a donation in Jane’s memory, please consider St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1503 Michael Rd., Richmond, VA 23229.
