Roll Call Tribute

Mervin Dansby Peters 
February 7, 1942 — February 27, 2024 

Mervin Dansby Peters passed away on Tuesday, 27 February, 2024. He moved from Navasota to Bryan with his family at the age of 3. Mervin graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in 1960 and then earned his BBA in Accounting in 1964 from Baylor University, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.

Mervin married Annette Adams of Bryan in July of 1964 and that same year began a 43-year career in the banking business at City National Bank, shepherding it through a series of mergers and acquisitions over many years to what is now Wells Fargo Bank. He served as Community Banking President overseeing 23 locations in the Brazos Valley, Fairfield, Hillsboro, Sealy, Waller, and surrounding areas until his retirement in 2007.

Mervin was deeply committed to his local community. He served as Chairman of the United Way of the Brazos Valley and as president of many committees and advisory boards, including Twin Cities Endowment Inc., Brazos County Blinn College Advisory Board, Bryan/College Station Economic Development Corporation, Brazos County Industrial Foundation Board, Brazos Valley Symphony Board of Directors, Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce, Bryan/College Station Jaycees, Boys and Girls Club of Bryan, and the Texas Private School Foundation (Allen Academy).

Among his many honors, Mervin was recognized as Outstanding Young Man of Brazos County in 1975 and one of Five Outstanding Young Texans by the Texas Jaycees in 1976. He was named Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year and received the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Brazos Valley Man-Youth Award in 1997. He was designated Outstanding Distinguished Citizen by the African American National Heritage Society in 2002 and received the first Research Valley Partnership Leadership Award in 2006. Mervin’s Run (street) and the Mervin Peters Spirit Award for Business Support were named in his honor in 2006 and 2007 by Habitat for Humanity. He was a proud member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, who elected him a member of the Knights of the Order of San Jacinto in 2020 for outstanding service to the State of Texas. He received the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution Historic Preservation Medal in 2021 for his work in the creation of Boonville Heritage Park.

Mervin was a devoted member of First Baptist Church of Bryan and the Business Men’s Bible Class. An eternal optimist, he never met a stranger, his faith never wavered, and his belief in the community knew no limits. He was a dedicated family man with a deep interest in history and enjoyed genealogical research projects in his retirement. A great lover of old-time country and gospel music he delighted in singing along regardless of having been in his words “the only person ever kicked out of a church choir.” A star high school basketball player with the Broncos in his youth, Mervin was a staunch supporter of Texas A&M University and Aggie athletics of all kinds, particularly football and basketball.

His life is an example of one of his favorite principles: “You should always try to leave a place better than how you found it.”

Mervin is preceded in death by his parents, Marshall Curtis Peters and Ellen Bookman Peters; brother, Marshall Bookman Peters; granddaughter, Lucile June Peters; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Lucile Yeager Adams and George Andrew (Pete) Adams, Jr.; and sister-in-law, Patricia Stehr Peters.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Annette Adams Peters; daughter, Margaret Annette Peters of Santa Fe, New Mexico; son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter, George Marshall, Christina Naughton, and Celeste Alani Peters of New York City; brother-in-law, Willard Andrew Adams of Houston; sister-in-law, Florence Carter Peters of Bryan; and nieces, Karen Ellen Peters Anderson (Brian) of Arlington and their daughter, Elizabeth Ellen Anderson of Dallas; Laura Stehr Peters of Houston; Eileen Bookman Peters of Bryan; and Amy Adams Villarreal (Travis) of Dallas and their sons, Cooper James Villarreal and Grayson Cole Villarreal; and many dear cousins on both sides of the family.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, 3100 Cambridge Drive, Bryan, Texas 77802 or Brazos Valley Natural History Museum, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan, Texas 77802.