Pioneering Gulf County commissioner dies at 75

Nathan Peters, Jr., who broke ground as the first African American to be elected to, and chair, the Gulf County board of county commissioners, has died at the age of 75.

Peters passed away on Oct. 8 in Panama City due to complications from diabetes.

First elected to a two-year term on Port St. Joe city commission in 1985, Peters moved on to the county commission when he was elected a year later, in 1986, as the first African American.

He then served five four-year terms, including a stint as chairman, before being defeated in 2010.

A 1967 graduate of Washington High School, Peters attended the historically black university Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, before returning home to North Port St. Joe to live up to the business and community legacies of his father Nathan Peters, Sr., his uncle Damon Peters, Sr. and his cousin Damon Peters, Jr.

Known for working collaboratively with other county officials and local citizens to ensure community upgrades across the county communities, Peters executed initiatives to help the county communities overcome public health and employment challenges.

Throughout North Port St. Joe, community artifacts attest to Peters’ vision, determination, and drive, including Nathan Peters Jr. Park, established in 1997; and the Washington High School Museum, which Peters championed.

In addition, he worked on new community housing investments with his son, Dr. Nathan Peters III, D.D.S., of Atlanta, Georgia, and served as a member of the board of trustees, and its chairman, of New Bethel A.M.E. Church. He often traveled and drove New Bethel choir members as well as members from other churches in the community to special church events, conferences and meetings out of town across the Panhandle.

Peters, the son and eighth child of Mary McNair and Nathan Peters Sr., was born Jan. 17, 1949.

He is survived by sisters Dorothy Helen Brooks, of Sacramento, California; Dr. Lenora (Raymond) Peters Gant, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; Constance (David) Jones, of Orlando; Sabrina (Sherman) Malone, of Bowie, Maryland; and brother Dr. Edward (Janie) Peters, of West Palm Beach. 

Preceding him in death were sisters Betty Brown and Linda Dorsey, and brothers Raymond Peters and James Samuel Peters.

He is survived by four sons, Stanley Peters, of Port St. Joe; Nathan Peters III DDS, of Atlanta, Georgia; Dr. Joseph Peters DBA, of Clarksburg, Maryland; and Byron Peters, of Troy, Alabama; and two stepsons, Lt. Col. Waymon M. (Angela) Bryant, of New Orleans; and retired Staff Sgt. John M. Bryant, BSN, of Columbia, South Carolina.

Services for Peters are Monday, Oct. 28 beginning with a Wake at 10 a.m. ET and a funeral at 11 a.m. at New Bethel A.M.E. Church, 146 Avenue C in Port St. Joe. Burial will follow at noon at Forest Hill Cemetery.

Cards, flowers, plants or donations may be sent to Russell Wright Mortuary LLC, in Panama City.The family requests that donations be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital [ www.stjude.org ]