John Alsa "Pete" Eberhart Jr.

John Alsa “Pete” Eberhart passed away peacefully at his home in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 9, 2026. Pete was born on December 23, 1935, in Burlington, North Carolina, to John A. Eberhart and Louise Turnage Eberhart (deceased), and married his high school sweetheart Mary Catharine Edmonds on December 19, 1959. He was the father of John Newton “Jack” Eberhart (deceased July 1980), Catharine Louise Eberhart (Robert Maiers), and Elizabeth Edmonds Eberhart Szuba (Thomas) and “Papa Pete” (grandfather) to Emma Louise Szuba Winek (Ian), Newton Paul Szuba, and Elizabeth Dorothy Szuba. He was the brother of Patricia Jean Eberhart Simpich (Frederick, deceased) and savored close relationships with beloved cousins and extended family.

Pete moved to Raleigh at age 7 with his family and attended Fred A. Olds Elementary School. He was a proud member of the Needham Broughton High School Class of 1954, where he was a true “team player” on the basketball, baseball, and football squads, eventually serving as captain of the Needham Broughton basketball team that won state championships in 1952, 1953, and 1954. He was a graduate of Wake Forest University (1958), held an MEd from UNC Chapel Hill (1961), and received a Doctorate of Education from UNC Chapel Hill (1970).

Pete dedicated his professional life to public education. He taught and became a school principal in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. As a school administrator in Lynchburg and Charlottesville, Virginia, he was a leader in integration efforts and Title IX equity programs in public education. Pete became the superintendent of schools in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he was the recipient of the 1990 Carolina Peacemaker Award for “untiring service in the pursuit of inter-racial understanding, community unity, and domestic peace with justice.” Pete completed his public service as the superintendent of education in Montgomery, Alabama. After retirement from full-time employment, he consulted for various education organizations and agencies, including NCSU, NC Department of Public Instruction, and the Visiting International Faculty (VIF) exchange program.

Pete was a person of many interests. He loved to cook his signature treats, particularly fudge (after confirming via barometer that the air pressure was appropriate), whole wheat banana bread, and apple butter. Family and friends could always count on enjoying his desserts made with whole ingredients and served in glass (not plastic) bowls. He was deeply committed to recycling and organic gardening before it was popular—as early as the 1970s. Much of his garden output was donated to church and public food pantries for others to enjoy. He was a life-long tennis player and runner, completing numerous 5k races into his early 80s. He was an enthusiastic college sports fan, especially of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and an avid reader of news, current affairs, and weather reports.

Pete valued church service, travel, friends at Cup a Joe, teamwork, and community. As a parent, he organized neighborhood events such as Christmas sing-a-longs, sled riding, ice cream churning parties, and packed the family sedan with neighborhood kids to attend, with a group discount, UVA football games. He could often be observed picking up recycling on his morning walks throughout West Raleigh. Pete loved Christmas and 30-second trips to the microwave to keep a cup of coffee hot (not warm). He was simultaneously generous and frugal, and knew it was worth the investment in items of “high quality” such as a snow shovel and garden hose. He believed that when things were made well, people took better care of them and they lasted longer. We can all learn from his wisdom. The world was a better place because of Pete and he will be missed by family, friends, church, and community.

Pete’s family would like to thank the Heartland Hospice and the loving and committed caregivers who helped us all over the past months and years, especially Vickie, Cassandra, TC, Jackie, and Iesha.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, July 10, at 1:00 p.m. at Fairmont United Methodist Church, Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, please support the Eberhart Family Scholarship Endowed Fund at the School of Education UNCGor the Fairmont United Methodist Church “in memory of Pete Eberhart.”

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh is serving the Eberhart family.