Thomas Peterson, Jr. Obituary

Thomas Edgar Peterson, Jr., 92, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2025, at his residence in Herndon, VA, with his loving wife Patricia (Patsy, but only to Tom) by his side.

Known as Tom to most, Eddie to his parents, Pete to friends, Dad to his fortunate three kids, and PopPop to his grandchildren, he is survived by his wife Pat, two of his three children (Mark and Tom, and their spouses Laurie and Gretchen), 9 loving grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents and his devoted daughter, Donna, who passed away just four weeks ago, dimming his bright light in his final month. He was also preceded in death by his dear friend Burt Martin, who was his best friend from entry into first grade until Burt died a few years back.

Born in Millville, NJ, on February 16, 1933, to Tom Sr. and Sara, he was the only child of older parents. Doted on by both, he developed a healthy ego as a result, and was a born entertainer and story-teller. This, combined with his intellect, enabled him to rise through the ranks from RCA to Raytheon, where he led international sales of complex missile systems. He was known for his sense of humor and for his stories, which he told and re-told frequently, each time becoming even more embellished than the last.

Tom was a product of Catholic education from grade school at St. Mary's in Millville, high school at Sacred Heart in Vineland, NJ, Drexel University, and finally Boston College. As the class clown receiving many well-earned welts from the nuns, some might consider Tom a glutton for punishment, but those who knew him understood he drew comfort from his relationship with God, the rhythm of the Church and the beauty of the hymns.

At Drexel, he met Patsy Wright, the love of his life and partner of 67 years. Together, they built a life that spanned Philadelphia, PA; Simi Valley, CA; Chelmsford, MA; Hernando, FL; and finally, Herndon, VA. Their relationship celebrated joyful times and weathered difficult ones, as Tom's job required him to be gone for long stretches, and Pat's golf was significantly better than his. Ultimately, it settled into a peaceful, loving, and devoted bond that stood the test of time.

Tom drew identity and eventual career success from his time in the Navy. He learned engineering skills, got his college education and first house paid for through the GI bill, and learned to drink in fact, "like a sailor," which served him well in his career in sales, but not so much in other aspects of his life. A self-proclaimed alcoholic, Tom quit drinking 45 years ago and never touched another drop, going on to sponsor many in sobriety, ultimately changing their lives as well.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 10th, at St. Veronica's Catholic Church at 3460 Centreville Road, Chantilly, VA 20151. A reception lunch will follow, where we can raise a Diet Coke (poured suitably in a wine glass) to Tom.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Fisher House Foundation at https://www.fisherhouse.org/ are appreciated.