SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — You can’t talk about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital without talking about the great Uncle Pete Decker, who was a well-known attorney, philanthropist, and a dear friend of St. Jude Children’s Hospital founder Danny Thomas.
St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway
Uncle Pete died 14 years ago, leaving behind a stellar legacy, and there will never be another like him.
His son, Peter Decker, tells the story that when Thomas started raising money to open St. Jude in 1962, he went around the country looking for volunteers and donors, and found Uncle Pete in Norfolk, Virginia.
“So a guy calls and says, ‘Peter, this is Danny Thomas. I need your help,’” Peter Decker said. “Pop thought his friends were playing a joke on him, and he hung up the phone on Danny Thomas. So Danny called back, and it really was Danny Thomas.”…