Ray Malcolm Peterson

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. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ray, please visit our floral store.