Ray Malcolm Peterson, age 90, of Canton, Georgia, passed away peacefully at his

home on October 13, 2025. Born in his beloved hometown of Mt. Vernon, Georgia, Ray

carried his love for that small community throughout his life. He graduated from Mt.

Vernon's one-room schoolhouse before attending Georgia Tech, where he earned a

degree in mechanical engineering.

While at Georgia Tech, Ray met the love of his life, Sarah, at a dance – a dance that

changed both of their lives for the better. After graduation, Ray began his career at

Lockheed before moving to Seattle, Washington, to work for Boeing. Three years later,

he and Sarah returned to metro Atlanta, where Ray continued his engineering career at

Burford, Hall & Smith.

Ray and Sarah's greatest joy—besides their faith—was their family. They were blessed

with two children, Kevin and Karen, and their joy only deepened with the arrival of their

grandchildren: Lindsay, Christian, and Braden. Together, they cherished countless

moments—family trips to Hilton Head, holiday celebrations, birthday gatherings,

baseball games, and music recitals.

Ray and Sarah were longtime members of Hollydale Methodist Church, where they

formed lifelong friendships through their reunion group and service. In more recent

years, they found a new church home at Birmingham United Methodist Church and

deeply enjoyed their Sunday School community.

Throughout his life, Ray's enthusiasm for trains, planes, and cars was unmistakable. His

train room—meticulously designed and built by hand—stands as a testament to his

lifelong fascination and to his fond memories of Mt. Vernon. He loved planes, having

spent some of his career on them and there wasn't a car whose make and model he

couldn't identify. He loved his hobbies and loved getting out and exploring new places

but most of all, he loved just being with family and friends.

We couldn't have asked for a more loving father, grandfather, brother, and friend. He will

be deeply missed every day. Ray was preceded in death by his father, John P.

Peterson; his mother, Katherine Peterson; his birth mother, Rhea Peterson; and his

beloved wife, Sarah Peterson. He is survived by his son, Kevin Peterson; daughter,

Karen Peterson; daughter-in-law, Cindy Peterson; grandchildren, Lindsay, Christian,

and Braden Peterson; siblings, Ed Peterson and Kay Jones; and a host of extended

family and dear friends.

A visitation will be held on Friday, October 17, at 2:00 p.m. at Canton Funeral Home &

Cemetery at Macedonia Memorial Park, followed immediately by a service at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to

Birmingham United Methodist Church in Milton, Georgia.