Peterson Funeral Scheduled for Thursday

Herndon's Kathleen, Matthew and Christopher Peterson will be laid to rest Thursday.

The funeral mass for Kathleen, Matthew and Christopher Peterson will be held at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston this week. The visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the church, located at 11900 Lawyers Rd. in Reston. The funeral will be held there at 10 a.m. Thursday. Condolences, memories and donation opportunities for Kathleen, Matthew and Christopher can be found at Adams-Green Funeral Home's website by clicking here.  See other related stories:

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Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Jeschke of Herndon Dies in Afghanistan

Jeschke, who was stationed out of Camp Pendleton, died Friday during checkpoint attack

A 31-year-old Herndon resident serving with the Marines in Afghanistan has died. Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Jeschke died during an attack in Afghanistan on Friday, according to the Marine Corps Times.  Jeschke was in the Helmand province in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, according to a Department of Defense press release. He was a member of the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif. Jeschke and two other Marines were shot to death at a police checkpoint in Sangin, the Associated Press reported. The shooter is believed to be an Afghan National Police officer, and has been apprehended, the AP reported.  Jeschke was a critical skills operator and a Purple Heart recipient who had earned four Navy and …

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'He Always Gave His Best'

Family, friends remember homicide victim Tommy Wong.

Tommy Wong always had a kind word for everyone. Wong was found dead late Friday, the victim of what police say was an armed robbery of his Arlington jewelry store earlier that day. But his words — and actions — continue to resonate and touch the lives of people far beyond the Columbia Pike neighborhood where he worked. More than 200 people gathered in front of Capital Jewelers, 3219A Columbia Pike, on Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Wong. One after another, family members, friends, customers and people who just work in the neighborhood took turns memorializing Wong, 52, of Herndon. They spoke of his generosity, his kindness and his professionalism. They told stories of the hard-working family man who lived the …

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Robert W. Johnson Jr., 76, Passes Away

Johnson, originally from Mt. Kisco, NY, was very active in the Northern Virginia and Herndon community, often seen at Herndon's sporting events. Services will be June 11.

Robert W. Johnson, Jr., 76, transitioned from this life into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ on Saturday, June 2, 2012, after a long struggle. Robert Wilson Johnson, Jr. was born to the late Robert Wilson Johnson and Ethel Ada Belle Johnson on July 9, 1935 in Mt. Kisco, NY. He attended P.S. 68 Elementary School in New York City and First Street Elementary School in Hackensack, NJ. The family later moved to Columbus, Ohio where Bob attended Champion Junior High School and graduated from East High School. The desire to serve his country led him to join the U.S. Marine Corps and serve honorably for three years. Robert did his graduate and post-graduate studies in Columbus, Ohio and Princeton, NJ, respectively. In 1973…

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HHS Alum, Leesburg Business Owner Marty Newsom Dies

A Celebration of Life will be held June 10.

Herndon High School alum Marty Newsom passed away on Tuesday at age 42.  A star gymnast at HHS in the 1980s, he was the co-owner of Apex Gymnastics in Leesburg, which opened in 1997. He attended the University of Wisconsin on a full scholarship and was a coach for more than 20 years.  A Celebration of Life will be held on June 10 from noon to 4 p.m. at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg, near the gazebo. Those who attend are asked to bring chairs and blankets. They are also welcome to bring photos and a dish or dessert to pass, as well as beverages, for a potluck. Paper products will be provided.  The family has asked that in lieu of flowers donations be made to a scholarship fund on Mr. Newsom's behalf. Checks can be made payable to Apex …

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Longtime Market Vendor Dies After Car Crash

Shannon Donley, 48, operated Fertile Plains Meats at Reston, Herndon and other area farmers markets.

Shannon Clark Donley, a longtime vendor at the Reston Farmers Market and other local markets,  died on may 3 following a car accident near Leesburg. Donley, 48, of Shepherdstown, WV, operated Fertile Plains Meats. He had been a vendor at the Reston Farmers Market, which operates Saturdays at Lake Anne, for nine years. He recently also opened a stand at the Wednesday Smart Market in Reston. Donley was a seventh-generation farmer, according to an obituary in the Martinsburg (WV) Journal-News. He was also a certified lay speaker at Bethesda United Methodist Church at Molers Crossroads, WV, and a parishioner of New Street United Methodist Church in Shepherdstown. Donley was a member and Past Master of Mt. Nebo Lodge No. 91 A.F. & A.M., member …

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Diane Blust

5:48 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012

All - I'd like to focus on the incredible work done day in and day out (nights, too) by the farmers who ferry their goods to the markets in Northern Virginia. They provide us with an alternative to industrial agriculture. They provide an incredible boost to our local economies. There may very well come a time when they are our only alternative to industrial agriculture - because of increasing …   more ›

Donald deLaski, Deltek Co-founder and GMU Philanthropist, dies at 80

Donald deLaski was the co-founder of Deltek, located just outside the Town of Herndon.

Donald deLaski was the visionary behind Deltek, Inc., one of the Washington area’s largest and most successful software companies.   In 1983, after spending twenty years building an accounting practice for government contractors, Mr. deLaski co-founded Deltek and provided the starting capital of $100,000 to fund the programming effort to write the first version of the software.  Today, Deltek is a public company with annual revenues of $341 million and employs over 750 people in the Washington, DC region, serving over 15,000 organizations in 80 countries around the world.  Battling asthma his entire life, he died of lung disease on March 9 at his home in Bethesda. Deltek started and took root during the microcomputer boom in the 1980’s.  …

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Don Vetter, Former Herndon Observer Publisher, 87

Don Vetter, former Herndon resident and Herndon Observer publisher, passed away at 87.

Donald Vetter, 87, of Salem, N.H., and previously of Herndon died peacefully surrounded by his loving children on Feb. 17, 2012 at Greystone Farm at Salem after a lengthy illness. He was predeceased by his wife of 52 years Peggy (Downey) Vetter. A veteran of World War II, Mr. Vetter served with the Army Air Corps as a weather observer in North Africa and Iran. After the war he returned to marry his high school sweetheart and graduate from college with a degree in business and began a management career with Pan American World Airways (Pan Am). Mr. Vetter and his wife then raised their family in Pan Am assignments that spanned the globe. He established the airport in Guatemala City, where they lived during the 1954 revolution, and then …

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Reston's Donna Miller Thibault, 69

Accountant, "Best of Reston" winner died in Florida Dec. 24.