Paul Eric Peterson Sr.

Paul Eric Peterson Sr., 80, passed away Wednesday, July 1, 2015, in Warrenton, Ore. Cmdr. Peterson was born Feb. 11, 1935, in Grand Rapids, Mich., to Carl A. Peterson and Alice E. Menninger Peterson.

After graduating in 1953 from Winterpark High School in Winterpark, Fla., Paul turned down a college athletic scholarship and hitchhiked to Miami, Fla., to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard. By 1957, he had advanced to petty officer first class and been accepted to Officers Candidate School. After graduation, he served at Coast Guard stations in Texas and Hawaii before being promoted to lieutenant and serving as executive officer on USCGC Buttonwood in Honolulu, Hawaii, and then as lieutenant commander when he commanded the USCG Supply Depot in Honolulu.

After completing this tour of duty, he was transferred to Astoria to take command of the USCGC Ivy. On completion of this tour, he transferred to become comptroller of the USCG Mediterranean Section in Naples, Italy. His return to the U.S. brought him to Seattle, Wash., and his promotion to commander, where he became the district planning officer for the 13th USCG district.

Cmdr. Peterson’s final duty station with the USCG was to command the USCGC Yocona, stationed in downtown Astoria. By the time of his retirement in 1975, after 22 years of service, Cmdr. Peterson was the second youngest officer of that rank who progressed from enlisted. During his career he served seven years of foreign duty and nine years of sea duty.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Rose Peterson of Warrenton; a son and daughter-in-law, Paul Jr. and his wife, Diane, of Portland, Ore.; a daughter from previous marriage, Lisa Williams; a brother-in-law and sister, Dr. Mrs. Lloyd France of Indiana; a sister-in-law, Betty Peterson of Florida; seven nieces and one nephew; and his North Coast lunch buddies, the “ROMEOS.”

Our sincere thank you to our friends and neighbors for the thoughtful and kind expressions of sympathy — Rose, Paul Jr., and Diane Peterson.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, donations to Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (www.cgmahq.org) would be appreciated.