Carl Arthur Petersen died peacefully at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center on February 28th, 2018 in Vancouver, WA at the age of 99.

Carl was born on June 28th, 1918 in Redfield, SD to Freda Frederickson (mother) and Christopher Olsen (father). His father passed away at a young age and Carl shortly thereafter became the very lovingly adopted-son of August Petersen (adopted-father). Carl graduated from Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, IA and later graduated Business School. He married Marjorie L. Lusk, his hometown sweetheart, on March 16th, 1940 and together they enjoyed 53 loving years together until her passing in 1993. Carl later met and entually married Evelyn L. Gran on January 22, 1994 and they enjoyed 21 years together until her passing in 2015.

Carl was an accomplished and entrepreneurial “Renaissance Man”; honorably serving in the US Navy and later working for Boeing, Solar, Aluma-Form, Timberline, and Bingham Willamette. While he pursued multiple professional interests, Carl was always a gentleman’s gentleman farmer at heart. He devotedly owned and worked an avocado ranch, a chicken egg distribution business, and eventually a filbert farm in Hillsboro, OR. Carl was similarly an accomplished musician who could effortlessly render a melody on a multitude of instruments such as the organ, accordion, french horn, and many other brass instruments.

Carl was a generous, talented, humorous, and faithful man who had a deep love for music, business, investing, farming, and family. Carl also had an impeccable work ethic, often remembered for wrangling those around him for assistance with “15-minute jobs” that often lasted for hours and late into the night. Those “15-minute jobs” caused Carl to work up quite the appetite; often requiring a late-night raid of the refrigerator for much needed sustenance, namely: ice cream.

Outside of ice cream, Carl also enjoyed travel, coffee, desserts, fine clothing, and the hunt for a deal when perusing the local classifieds. He was a savvy negotiator and once negotiated a title swap for his dream car – a 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Phaeton. Carl was also an avid animal caretaker and lover. He had cared for quite a menagerie over the years, including horses, goats, chickens, a goose, “Elmer” the cow, and multiple dogs and cats; with his faithful dogs, a St. Bernard “Heidi” and a Yellow Labrador “Chrisma”, often by his side as he worked row after row on the filbert farm.

Carl was a faithful and devoted Christian. His faith shaped the way he lived his life and interacted with those around him. He consistently and generously gave to multiple Veteran, Christian and Jewish charities. He had a captivating sense of humor, an unwavering optimistic perspective, and a smile that was consistently contagious to those around him. He was deeply loved by many and he will be greatly missed.

Carl is survived by his children, Diane Shah (Ben) of Rancho Mirage, CA (daughter), Gregory Petersen of Edmund, OK (son), Sandra Peterson (Vince) of Woodbridge, VA (daughter), Shawna Shah (Granddaughter), Tony Peterson (Lyndsay) (Grandson), Rochelle Rump (Brian) (Granddaughter), Angela Peterson (Granddaughter), Gregory Peterson (Kendra) (Grandson), Jonathan Peterson (Holly) (Grandson), and 13 Great-Grandchildren, 3 Step Children, 7 Step Grandchildren, and 9 Step Great-Grandchildren. He is preceded in death by Marjorie Lucille Lusk Petersen (wife of 53 years) and Evelyn Laura Gran Petersen (wife of 21 years).

Visitation is scheduled for March 5th at 10am, followed by a Celebration of Life at 11:30am at Laurel Community Church, Hillsboro, OR. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Carl’s life.

Burial is scheduled for March 5th at 2pm at Valley Memorial Park, Hillsboro, OR; Pastor Mike Moore will officiate the ceremony for family.

For those wishing to join Carl in supporting the good works of people that were of such interest to him, the family suggests that a donation be made in memory of Carl A. Petersen to either:
Samaritan’s Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607
Wounded Warrior Project,PO BOX 758516,Topeka, KS 66675