Helen Hardin Peterson

1935 - March 13, 2019

HELEN FAY HARDIN PETERSON, age 83, of Eastman, GA passed away on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 peacefully at home.

Obituary for Helen Hardin Peterson

HELEN FAY HARDIN PETERSON, age 83, of Eastman, GA passed away on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 peacefully at home.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00AM Saturday, March 16 at Sand Grove Baptist Church, Hwy 280 Milan, GA, with Rev. Joey Bohannon, Rev. Wayne McDaniel, and Rev. Trey Benton officiating with interment in Sand Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.

Helen was born in the house that now belongs to her daughter and was raised on the family farm in Dodge County. She was a 1953 graduate of Rhine High School and attended Georgia Southwestern College in Americus. Later, after she married, she returned to the farm and she and her husband built a home across the road from her parents. While raising five children, she helped on the farm feeding cows and hogs, picking up eggs at the chicken houses, putting up massive amounts of produce, and keeping the books for the farm. As a life-long, active member of Sand Grove Baptist Church, she had served as pianist, Sunday School director, VBS director, and, most recently the senior adults Sunday School teacher. She was first and foremost a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who loved her family unconditionally. Helen supported her husband as he later followed his dream and, together, they opened PaPete’s Restaurant in Milan GA, which they operated for several years. Memories of MeMa and PaPete still linger not only in Milan, but all of Dodge and Telfair Counties and surrounding areas. She was most recently the innkeeper/manager of The Dodge Hill Inn Bed and Breakfast in Eastman, which is owned by her cousin. The highlight of her time there was to meet and get to know the guests and she treated each of them like family. She was an amazing baker and cook, and used these God given talents to share her love with friends all over the community. She has made many people a lover of Can’t Stop Cookies and Italian Cream cakes! Helen was the daughter of the late Millie Evelyn Burch Hardin and Silas Alvin Hardin, widow of Levious A. “PaPete” Peterson, Jr., and was preceded in death by a brother, Bill Hardin and a great granddaughter, Sarah LaFavor.

Survivors include her children: Debbie Selph (Randall) of Milan, Kathy Peterson of Warner Robins, Terri LaFavor (James) of Rhine, Larry “Petey” Peterson (Kim) of Milan, and Betsy Manning (Joey) of Chauncey. Grandchildren Tara Royston, Daniel Williams (Shannon), Cole LaFavor (Tonya), Lindsey Williams (Clint), Kerri Benton (Trey), Kelsey Peterson, Sydney Manning (Ben), Kaylee Peterson (Benji), Abbey Manning, and Amy Selph. Great-grandchildren: Brecken Royston, Mason Benton, Justin LaFavor, Addison Williams, Montgomery Benton, Sadie LaFavor, and Malachi Benton. Nephew, Bill Hardin of Dublin. Chosen family: Judy Lowery, David Back & Bethany Harris, Dr. Joshua Sherman and Carolyn Sherman. Sisters-in-Law, Doris Hardin, Florence Peterson, and Jo Peterson Nichols (Grady). Brothers-in-Law, Lee Peterson and Cecil Peterson (Nancy).


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