John Corwin Peters

John Corwin Peters, 83, of Clemson SC, passed away October 19, 2026.

John was born in Canton, OH, son of the late Calvin and Margaret Peters and was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

John is survived by Sylvia Hodgson Peters, his wife of 61 years, and their children: James C Peters and daughter in-law Erin of Gahanna, Ohio; and Kevin J Peters and daughter-in-law Michelina of Pittsburgh, PA. He also leaves ten grandchildren: Jacob C Peters from Gahanna, Ohio; and from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Ross (Mattison), Victoria Merhaut (Leo), Maria, Angelina, William, Seth, Lydia, Andrew, and Alexander Peters; and Great Grandchild Fiadh Merhaut. John is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Sue and Don Brietzke from Seneca, SC, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

John was a graduate of Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio (BA) and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan (MBA). He served in the United States Air Force for 25 1/2 years in the comptroller field and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. John then worked at Clemson University for 25 years as a conference planner for the National Dropout Prevention Center. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Clemson, where he served as Chairman of the Evangelical Outreach Committee. John was instrumental in negotiating with the City of Clemson for a permanent building for the Clemson Community Care where he served as the Chairman of the Board. John was also a co-founder of the Clemson Free Clinic that has made quality healthcare accessible to all since 2005. Active in many other civic affairs that are too numerous to mention, John Peters was, at one time, President of the Clemson Noon Rotary Club where he was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow. John took great pride in the fact that, in 35 years, he never missed a meeting. As a Rotarian, he helped reorganize the Interact Club at Daniel High School. John was also a member of the City of Clemson Planning Commission and the Clemson Men’s Fellowship Club.

John will be remembered in the community for his involvement in the FCA Adult Chapter which began under his leadership in 1992. This group has been able to financially support the Clemson University FCA Huddle in their mission trips and FCA summer camp scholarships for local high school students. Because of his long-term commitment to FCA John Peters and his wife Sylvia were both inducted into the FCA National Hall of Champions in 2025 and were recognized at the FCA National Headquarters in Kansas City, MO.

In 2011, John Peters was selected as Volunteer of the Year and was the recipient of the Abernathy/Cox One Clemson Award for outstanding contributions to the City of Clemson and Clemson University. The Mayor of Clemson proclaimed May 15, 2023, as “John Peters Day” in honor of his major contributions to the many non-profit organizations in Clemson and the National D.A.R. presented him with a Certificate for Excellence in Community Service. As an IPTAY representative, his competitive spirit kept him active in Tiger sports.

John loved his God and his family. He lived a life any of us would be proud to emulate; full of spirituality, energy, and integrity.

Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church of Clemson on Saturday December 12, 2026, at 2:00 pm followed by a reception in the church’s Family Life Center.

Internment will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA at a future date.

In lieu of flowers Memorial donations may be made to:

Clemson FCA Adult Chapter

c/o Richard Coleman

P.O. Box 33061

Clemson, SC 29633

First Baptist Church of Clemson

397 College Ave

Clemson, SC 29631

Rotary Club of Clemson Foundation

P.O. Box 1475

Clemson, SC 29633

Visit RobinsonFuneralHomes.com or Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home & Cremations, Central-Clemson Commons.