Thomas Wesley Peterson
PUBLISHED ON April 3, 2011
Section: Obituaries

Thomas Wesley Peterson

Tom was born in Sandpoint, Idaho 11/19/1946. His parents, Joye Obert Peterson
and Ruth Francis Woodard Peterson had moved there during WWII to work in the
Farragutt Naval Base and many of his siblings were born there. Returning to the
ancestral family farm near Beach, North Dakota in 1948, Tom attended schools in
the Beach area. These included Lapla Rural School where his proclivity for
mischievousness blossomed. The family moved to Watford City, North Dakota in
1959. He loved baseball and never tired of telling the now infamous, yet true
tale, of playing against Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson in The Oilers
Stadium in Williston, North Dakota. According to legend, he both struck out
Jackson and hit a home run off of him. It was probably the sports highlight of
his life.
 In 1961 the remaining children living at home made the pilgrimage from North
Dakota to the Yakima Valley. Tom was an extremely talented musician, playing
numerous kinds of Saxophones in Wapato High School Band, Orchestra and the
infamous “Coherents” Dance Band. He graduated in 1964 and enrolled in Dickinson
State College for a time and then at North Dakota State University in Fargo,
North Dakota.
 He was drafted into the military in 1966 and trained as a Medic in the Army 9th
Medical Battalion. This experience would define the rest of his life. He served
gallantly and sacrificially, putting himself in harms way to save others. He
returned from Viet Nam and took advantage of the GI Bill to complete his
education at Central WA Univ, Ellensburg, WA with a B.A. in secondary education.
He married Susan Duke, now deceased, and they moved to Minnesota where he taught
Industrial and Agricultural Arts and helped brother Charlie with his farming
operation.
 He was one of those people who could talk his way into just about any job
possible. He teamed with some friends to do demolition work in downtown Seattle
and around the Puget Sound Area. He mastered the art of concrete construction
and reinforcement of stream banks. Always open to new adventures, his team
signed a Contract with the Seattle Seahawks to rejuvenate the Seahawk Mascot,
The Chicken. Tom not only helped redesign the costume and personality of the
Chicken, but on certain game days, he would take his turn as The Seahawk
Chicken.
 He returned to the Yakima Valley, creating his own construction and restoration
company. He successfully built a team of workers that did extensive work for the
Yakama Indian Nation and many other natural resource agencies. He was respected
for his honesty and integrity in bidding and getting the work done on budget and
on time.
 He suffered multiple stroke and lung complications 1/30/2011 and spent the last
6 weeks of his life in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit at Harborview
Medical Center in Seattle, WA. He was surrounded by family and friends the
entire time and they did everything possible to save his life. On March 12,
2011, he went to his heavenly home. He was and is a man of faith in God who
showed his faith in his loving works and devotion to God, Country and Fellowman.
Much of his Estate will create the Thomas W. Peterson Educational Trust. If you
would like to make a memorial contribution to this Trust, please send your
contribution to Thomas W. Peterson Educational Trust c/o Robin Peterson, 1332
Last Chance Road, Walla Walla, WA, 99362, or of course to the charity of your
choosing.
 Tom is survived by nine living siblings; Patsy Joann Pagiotas, Clifton Park,
New York; Earl B. Peterson, Bozeman, Montana; Noel E. Peterson, Ponoka, Alberta,
Canada; Jan M. Peterson, West Yellowstone, Montana; Harvey Peterson, Beach,
North Dakota; Dan E. Peterson, Bismark, North Dakota; Ophie Hart, Palmer,
Alaska; Alice Kathleen Peterson, Newton, Iowa and Rev. Robin K. Peterson, Walla
Walla, WA. Numerous nieces and nephews and their offspring round out Tom’s
family who will miss him dearly. Tom was preceded in death by both his parents
and one older brother, Charles D. Peterson.
 A Celebration of Tom’s Life will be held Saturday May 28th 2011, at 1 pm at the
Community Presbyterian Church in Wapato, WA. Revs Robin and Hanna Peterson will
be officiating. Following the church service, the Yakama Warriors Military Honor
Guard will conduct Military Honors at the Memorial Circle next to the Wapato
Park and Pool at 3:30 pm. The American Legion Wapato Post will provide a meal
immediately following at the American Legion Post in downtown Wapato. All are
invited to attend and share a memory of Tom.

Copyright, 2011, Yakima Herald-Republic. All Rights Reserved.