Jimmie Lawson Peterson

Jimmie Lawson Peterson left this world on Monday, August 17, 2026, to be welcomed to Heaven by her Lord and Savior and reunite with her husband, Floyd Richard “Dickie” Peterson and daughter, Kathryn Ann “Kathy” Peterson. Born to James Albert and Doris Raiford Lawson on June 15, 1930, Jimmie went on to leave the footprints of a hero in the pathway of her life of tragedy and triumph.

It was the Depression. Jimmie’s father left the home in search of work but never returned. It is unknown as to whether something happened to him or he simply wanted a fresh start without a wife and two little girls. Her mother died at the way too early age of 23 when Jimmie was only four and her sister, Louise Lawson Barbato, was only six.

Their care fell to their grandmother, but she was soon stricken with cancer, resulting in their placement in the Good Samaritan Home in McComb, Mississippi, in order to remain close to her until her death. When their grandmother passed on, Jimmie and Louise were moved to the Children’s Village Baptist Orphanage in Jackson, Mississippi. They remained there until Louise graduated from high school and Jimmie completed tenth grade, at which point they moved to Baton Rouge to live with their great aunt.

A year after Jimmie graduated from Istrouma High School, she wed her husband on February 19, 1949. Just shy of a year later, she gave birth to a son, Floyd Richard “Dick” Peterson, Jr., on February 8, 1950. A daughter, Kathryn Ann Peterson, was born on October 19, 1954. She was stricken with encephalitis at the tender age of 14 months and lived thereafter in a persistent vegetative state. Jimmie cared for Kathy at home until she passed away on March 12, 1993, at the age of 38. For a few months at the end of life for her mother-in-law, she simultaneously cared for her at home, as well. Throughout those years, there’s no doubt that Jimmie earned angel wings many times over.

On August 16, 1998, just six months shy of their 50th wedding anniversary, Jimmie lost her husband to a cardiac event that occurred on the heels of cancer surgery and chemotherapy. The tragedy of his too-early death wasn’t fully realized until she joined him in the presence of Jesus 28 years and a day later. Despite their marriage ending too soon, everyone who knew them easily realized it was a union as immensely loving, rich, joyful, and rewarding as could be imagined.

On August 13, 2016, the house they built in 1973 was severely damaged by the flooding caused by the infamous No Name Storm. Until that year, there had never been flooding infringement on the lot, much less the water encroachment five inches above the doorknobs sustained in the flood. At the time, Jimmie was 86 years old and had lived in the house for 43 years, half of her life. The house was gutted and sold as-is, and Jimmie moved to a senior living community where she spent the next seven years of her life. During that period, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

After a fall in 2023, she had to move to a skilled nursing facility. Though she wasn’t the happiest of campers, she did understand her need to be in such a facility. In the last two weeks of her life, she had three falls, two of which necessitated ER visits to get checked out. Fortunately, no injuries of substance were sustained. The falls were due to her getting weaker at the end of her life journey. Hospice care was initiated five days before she passed. Since Jimmie quit cooking, their tastebuds have lamented the absence of the many treasured dishes and treats from her kitchen. Her cornbread dressing, candied yams, potato salad (with bell pepper), roast and rice and gravy, roast beef hash, crawfish étouffée, salmon croquettes, red beans and rice and sausage, shrimp dip, pimento and cheese (with onion), chocolate fudge, chocolate fudge cake, banana pudding, rice pudding, icebox cookies, and fruitcake cookies were legendary.

Jimmie is survived by her son, Dick Peterson. Jr., Fairway, Kansas; twin granddaughters, Erin Peterson Trainor (Chris), Knoxville, Tennessee, and Regan Peterson Schucker (Brad), Baton Rouge; a grandson, Braden Cade “Brady” Schucker, Baton Rouge; and a sister-in-law, Joan Peterson “Joanie” Wallace, Baton Rouge; as well as several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

A special nod is due to Brad Schucker who put his heart and soul into preserving Jimmie’s house for as-is sale after the flood. No amount of thanks is adequate for his efforts.

Private interment occurred on Friday, August 21, 2026. Family members and friends will be advised of a celebration of life in coming weeks.

Please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at michaeljfox.org.