Elaine S. Peterson's Obituary
Elaine Self Peterson, 67, of Memphis, died on Thursday, March 13, at Baptist Trinity Hospice House in Collierville, Tennessee, after a long illness. A native Memphian, Mrs. Peterson was the daughter of the late Jamie and Levon Self. She leaves two children, David Cooper Peterson and wife Melissa, of Memphis; and Rachel Elaine Peterson Carr and husband Nick, of Worcester, Massachusetts. She also leaves six grandchildren: Skylar Hope Peterson and Logan Cooper Peterson of Memphis; James Dylan Booth and Kasey Malcolm Booth of Allen, Texas; and Rhane Kathryn Mazzola and Marcus Jamie Carr of Worcester, Massachusetts. She will be dearly missed by her sister, Carol Self Ramsey and husband Mark, of Collierville, Tennessee; and brother Raymond Levon Self and wife Christie, of Winter Park, Florida. She also leaves a nephew, Levon Lindy Self of Memphis; a niece Sarah Jean Self Brewer and husband Adam of Olive Branch, Mississippi; and two step-nephews, Christian Rick Caldie and Brian Christian Caldie of Winter Park, Florida. Mrs. Peterson was a graduate of White Station High School, Memphis, and attended the University of Memphis, where she was a charter member and chaplain of Delta Gamma Sorority. In her younger years, Mrs. Peterson was a member of First Baptist Church of Memphis. Later, she joined the nondenominational Crossway Church in Bartlett, Tennessee, around which much of her life centered. In her younger years, she sold women’s apparel for Goldsmith’s department store and then became an executive secretary for the International Department of Union Planters (now Regions) Bank. Later she became known for her excellent salesmanship, having sold Estee Lauder and Erno Laszlo cosmetics, and then retiring for health reasons from Godiva Chocolatiers at the Wolfchase Mall. Mrs. Peterson particularly enjoyed doing needlepoint, reading, taking trips to Destin, Florida, and especially participating in her church activities and fellowship. She was a person of generosity, fine aesthetic sense, a delight in life’s simple things, and had a great capacity for love. Visitation will be from 1:00 – 2:30 on Saturday, March 22, at Memorial Park Funeral Home, Memphis, at Poplar and Yates, with funeral services to follow at 2:30 there and interment on the grounds. The family requests that any memorials be sent to Baptist Trinity Hospice House in Collierville, Tennessee (http://www.bmhgiving.org), or the Church Health Center of Memphis (http://www.churchhealthcenter.org/donate).
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