Barbara (Berry) Peterson

Barbara (Bootsie) Berry Peterson, widow of J. Chandler Peterson, died at her Ailey, Georgia home Sunday morning, August 13, 2023, due to rapid health deterioration from liver cancer.

She is predeceased by her brothers, James Anderson Berry, Jr.  and Robin Reid Berry. 

She is survived by her brother, Peter DuPre Berry (Harriett), by her adopted daughter, Miriam Antolik from Phoenix, Arizona and Miriam’s five children, Jason, Sarah, Jordan, John, and Abigail. 

Bootsie was born in Augusta, Georgia on November 21, 1939, and was the only daughter of James Anderson Berry and Carrie DuPre Berry of Union.  She attended Union High School where she participated in many activities.  She was a former Miss Union and first runner-up in the Miss South Carolina Pageant.  She graduated from Columbia College with a degree in art while working for C&S Bank.  She went on to study further at NYU, The Sorbonne, Emory University and then to The New School, NY, NY.  While living in New York she worked in the advertisement/public relations industry.  She next moved to Atlanta where she successfully ran an advertisement/PR business.  She enjoyed her Bible and became an excellent student, teacher, lecturer, then pastor while living part time in Scottsdale, Arizona, eventually opening what became Barbara Peterson Ministries.

The family appreciates and thanks those neighbors in Ailey, Georgia, as well as the wonderful personnel at Vidalia Community Hospice, Memorial Health Meadows Hospital, Dr. John Connor, Dr. David Berry, Janet Sanderlin, Haley Phelps, Amanda Corum and Miriam Antolik who made her last days much more pleasant and less painful than they would have been otherwise.

Surviving in addition to her brother, Pete (Harriett), are nephews and nieces, Dan (Donna) Berry, Bonnie (Nick) Kavali, David Berry, Katy Berry, Brandon Berry, Kathy Berry, and Jim (Julia) Berry, and many great nephews and great nieces. 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Friday, August 25, 2023 at Grace United Methodist Church in Union, South Carolina and conducted by Rev. Sanders Read. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be held in the church fellowship hall immediately following the services.

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