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COURTLAND — Zachary Whitley Peden, 13, passed away on Oct. 15, 2020, peacefully in the arms of his parents, and surrounded by his father and his maternal grandmother in Duke University Hospital after a long illness.

He was born in Franklin and was an eighth grade student at Southampton Middle School. Zach played baseball for Sedley Recreation Association and was on the Southampton Middle School football team. He was a member of Ivor Hunt Club, an avid fisherman and liked the Dallas Cowboys. He enjoyed spending time working in the shop on cars and trucks with Brandon.

Left to cherish his memory are his parents, Jennifer and Brandon Council; his father, John Whitley Peden Jr. (Lee Ann Horstman); a sister, Berklee Hart Council; maternal grandparents, Ginger and Clifton Vincent Jr.; paternal grandparents, Tammy Eicher (Randy); his Nana, Clara Gillette; his KK, Katherine Gillette; his Pop, Hart Council (Suzi); two aunts, Valerie Howell (Kevin) and Cortney Metcalf; an uncle, Ryan Council (Nicole); cousins, Tyler, Jase, Skyler, Cohen, Jacob, Brayden, Sarah and Chelsea; and a sweet friend, Caroline Nelson.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, in Poplar Spring Cemetery in the New Annex off of Homestead Road.

The family has requested that everyone dress casually and wear your Zach Strong shirt, and suggests that memorial donations be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 200 Rye Brook, New York City, NY 10573.

The family would like to thank everyone at CHKD and Duke University Hospital for their loving care of Zach.

www.wrightfuneralhome.org.