William Peterson

William Fields Peterson was born in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on February 21, 1934, to John and Florence Peterson. He was the only male among his three older and two younger sisters, and was the last surviving sibling.

John Peterson became the Fire Captain at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, where William, also known as Bill, spent his formative years. As a young teen, Bill served as the base’s newspaper carrier and got to know some of the original Tuskegee Airmen. At the age of 18, Bill enlisted in the United States Air Force, and four years later, he transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps. He served honorably during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and later in the reserves, retiring with the rank of Major in 1972. He earned a bachelor's degree and did additional graduate coursework in Community Administration through the Department of Defense’s Operation Bootstrap program.

Following his military career, he worked as the regional training director for twenty-four counties in the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, among other state roles. He later returned to the Federal government as a civilian employee, retiring in 1997 as the Region Equal Employment Manager of the former Defense Distribution Region East.

A member of St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Bill proudly served on the vestry. He was also a heritage member of the East Coast Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, where he was on the speaker’s bureau and raised money for scholarships. He held a deep passion for military history, doing close reads of the many books on his shelf. He also enjoyed going to the movies, taking walks, sitting on the porch with his newspaper, and Friday family dinners at a favorite restaurant where you could all but guarantee that he would strike up a conversation with a perfect stranger.

Bill passed away on Friday, April 17, 2026, two months after celebrating his 92nd birthday surrounded by 80 friends and family members. He was predeceased by his sisters Elizabeth Jones, Shirley Jordan, Lois Perkins, Deloris Owens, and Helen Alexis. His survivors include his wife of 58 years, Gloria; sons Brian (Faith) and Dwight; grandchildren Nia, Jalen, Nicholas, Myles, and Quincy Peterson; nieces Sherdina and Justine Jones, Masaya Alexis, and Lydia Shackleford; nephews David and Glenn Perkins, James Jones, Clifford Alexis, Michael and Jason Owens; great nieces and nephews; and adopted niece Kathy McKeithen.

The family is deeply grateful to Homeland Center and UPMC Community Osteopathic for their compassionate care and dedication to Bill’s comfort.

Lovingly submitted by the Family