Vicki Peterson Cordes, 70, of Fairfax, Va., went to rest in the arms of her heavenly Father on January 20, 2025. After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April of 2024, she fought bravely for nine months, undergoing every treatment Johns Hopkins could offer her.
Vicki was born on April 1, 1954, to Carl Raymond Peterson and Emma Pauline Mullis, of Worcester, Mass., and Harmony, N.C., respectively. She was raised in Silver Spring, Md.
She received a B.A. in Psychology from Washington College in Chestertown, Md., as well as an M.S. in Management of Information Technology from the University of Virginia.
Vicki took pride in her work for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., where she was employed for 39 years.
She lovingly raised two daughters, Erica Suzanne and Natalie Christine.
Vicki enjoyed traveling. In addition to spending regular time at her beloved Eastern Shore, she visited the Pacific Northwest, Canada, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Rome, and England.
A lover of the arts, she particularly enjoyed attending performances at the Kennedy Center, and ushered at George Mason Center for the Arts. She also nurtured a passion for ballroom dancing, with her favorite dance being the international rumba.
Vicki delighted in simple pleasures like good food, time with family, and evening walks through her neighborhood.
She explored several religious philosophies throughout her life which combined to make her a uniquely spiritual person.
Vicki was thrilled to become a grandmother for the first time in 2020 and then again in 2022. She made frequent trips to visit her grandchildren and doted on them from afar.
Vicki is survived by her daughters, Erica Cordes Vacare and Natalie Cordes Burgdorf; and her grandchildren, Samuel and Isaac Burgdorf.
A remembrance was held at Money and King Funeral Home, 171 Maple Ave W, Vienna, VA 22180, on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
A graveside service will be held at Winthrop Friends Meeting in Harmony, N.C., on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 11 a.m.
Nicholson Funeral Home and Money & King Funeral Home are serving the Cordes family.