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March 21, 2025
Rocky Peterson, former partner with the Princeton, New Jersey law firm of Hill Wallack and former Law Director under Mayor Douglas Palmer of Trenton, passed away on Sunday, March 16, 2025 at home.A Celebration of Life - Rocky Peterson
The son of military veterans, Rocky spent his formative years in Kaiserslautern, Germany and El Paso, Texas before relocating to East Orange, New Jersey. He graduated from East Orange High School in 1970, receiving a full academic scholarship to Cornell University where he received both his undergraduate and juris doctorate degrees.
Rocky commenced his legal career in state government, first with the Administrative Office of the Courts and later with the Division of Criminal Justice. Upon joining Hill Wallack in 1983, he represented municipalities, school districts, community colleges and other public entities, eventually heading the firm’s School Law and Municipal Law Practice Groups, during which he also served eight years as the Law Director for the City of Trenton.
Rocky was well-respected by his colleagues. He was a member of numerous bar associations, including the New Jersey State Bar Association, where he was a founding member of the Minorities in the Profession Section. He also served twelve years on the Supreme Court Disciplinary Review Board, including two years as its Chair. In addition, Rocky was an active member of the Trenton Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. He also previously served on several boards, including Crossroads Theatre in New Brunswick and Crossroads of the American Revolution in Trenton.
In 2018, at age 67, Rocky suffered two serious strokes within a two-week time frame. With the intervention of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman and Robert Ross, Esq., Rocky was admitted to what was then Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia. Under the direction of Dr. Brian Kucer and his rehabilitation team, Rocky defied the prognosis, immediately following his second stroke that he likely had four months to live. Although completely paralyzed, with only the ability to communicate by blinking, he learned to speak, text, and email through eye gaze with the Tobii Dynavox assistive device. He was able to continue reading books on Kindle and keep up with local and world events through various media. Rocky regained some mobility in his limbs with intensive physical therapy, which enabled him to use his stationary bicycle and to operate his power wheelchair with his head. Magee, whose philosophy is to “Believe In a Way Back”, continued to provide rehabilitation therapy to Rocky as an outpatient.
Rocky was predeceased by his parents, Natalia and Lynwood Peterson, his brother Gilbert Peterson, and his best friend Vance VanJones. He is survived by his wife Paulette Peterson, three children, Malik Peterson (Yudelky), Danita Cooper-Lindsey (Derrick) of Denver, Colorado, and Dr. Corrie Fountain of Acworth, Georgia; five grandchildren, Marcus and Marissa Peterson, Tremain and Turner Davis, and Devon Cooper; three godchildren Pam Jones, Denita McBride and Walker Richardson. Rocky was proud that his grandson Tremain will be following him into the legal profession just like his goddaughter Pam. In addition, he is survived by special cousins, Robert “Ritt” Davenport, Bonita Dixon, Glenn McArthur, Denise and Donald McBride, and a special nephew, Palmer Richardson, Esq., who faithfully sat with his uncle to ensure that with the use of his
Tobii, Rocky could participate in monthly fraternity meetings.
In life, we have relatives by birth and relatives we are blessed to choose. Rocky is survived by the following relatives of choice: Pearl Lawrence, Jane Altman, Esq., Ethelyn and Dr. Charles Bowers, the Honorable Gerald Council, Donald and Moya Kearny, Dr. William Stanley, Tanya VanJones, William “Bill” Watson, and his former Hill Wallack partners. He is also survived by a host of other relatives and friends.
Finally, the family is grateful for the medical team that took this nearly seven-year journey with Rocky, including RWJ Family Home Practice, Bayada Home Health Agency, Matossian Eye Associates, Princeton Hypertension, Princeton Medical Group, Princeton Medical Center Critical Care Unit (Penn Medicine), Princeton Surgical Associates, Respiratory and Sleep Specialists, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Neuro and Medical Critical Care Unit, and most especially, what is now Jefferson-Moss Magee Rehabilitation Hospital.
In lieu of flowers and cards, a donation may be made in his name to Jefferson-Moss Magee Rehabilitation Foundation and/or The Trenton Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Arrangements are under the direction of Hughes Funeral Home of Trenton New Jersey. A celebration of life will be hosted by Hill Wallack on April 26, 2025, at its Princeton location, 21 Roszel Road, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
“They that love beyond the world cannot be separated by it. Death cannot kill what never dies.” William Penn
