On Monday, April 16, 2018, Thomas P. Peterson, a longtime Willapa Harbor resident, passed from this world at the Willapa Harbor Healthcare and Rehab Center. He was 86. Tom was born on Sept. 6, 1931, in Flaxton, N.D. to Chris and Elanora (Petersen) Peterson. Tom attended school in Raymond until the 10th grade and graduated from Valley High School in 1950. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951-53 serving as a Military Policeman in the Philippines. On Nov. 13, 1954, he married Phyllis George. They were married for 43 years until she lost a short battle with cancer in January of 1998. Tom had a truckload of jobs including being a logger, mill worker, Seattle fireman, and later as a salesman for Pacific Wholesale. In 1974, he purchased and operated Pete’s Spring and Radiator until 1986, when he went to work as a sales representative for Benz Spring in Seattle. He retired from Benz Spring in 1998. He continued to drive for Miller’s Radiator until he retired for good at age 79, in 2010.

Tom has very active in many areas including the Grays Harbor Basketball Officials for 19 years. He was a lifetime member of the Raymond Elks #1292, the Raymond American Legion Post #150, the Raymond VFW, the Willapa Valley Booster Club and Willapa United Methodist Church.

Tom is survived by his son, John, and wife, Jayme, of Old Willapa, his daughter, Diane Snow of Quincy, four grandchildren; Joshua Peterson of Old Willapa, Jessica (Peterson) and Dustin Moore of Sterling, Alaska, Alexandra (Snow) and Jonathan Snyder of Columbia, Md., Pamela Snow of Wenatchee, two great-grandchildren, Natalie and Jessica Snyder, of Columbia, Md., and by seven sisters and one brother.

In lieu of flowers, Tom asked that people contribute to either the Willapa Valley High School general athletic fund or the Willapa United Methodist Church.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 28, at the Willapa United Methodist Church at 11 a.m.