Charles Samuel Peterson was born in Providence Hospital in Seattle on New Year’s Eve 1937. His adoptive parents, Charles and Minnie Peterson, brought him home to Snoqualmie where he resided his entire 79 years with the exception of his time in the United States Army. He attended Snoqualmie Valley schools and graduated in 1956.

His father died when he was twelve and his mother died one week before his high school graduation. He worked at the Weyerhaeuser Sawmill immediately after graduation and stayed with the company until 1975 when he was elected as Business Agent to the Lumber & Sawmill Workers Union Local 1845. His career with the Union included President of the Puget Sound District Council and eventually President of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America covering the eleven western states. After retirement in 2004, he was called back twice to negotiate contracts with major lumber companies.

He met his wife of 55 years, Carol Jones, on his last day of high school in 1956 when she was thirteen and he was eighteen. That summer she moved to Bellevue and graduated from Bellevue High School in 1960.

They began dating in 1958 and all through the time she was employed later at the Boeing Company. Charles was drafted in 1961 to the US Army and served first in Fort Ord, California and then in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. When Carol finished airline school in 1962 in Missouri, she flew to Washington D,C. where they were married on Friday the 13th in April 1962. After just three weeks of marriage, the Army sent Charles to the Arctic Circle – Greenland for six months. Afterward they settled in Snoqualmie, Washington in 1964 where their children Julie and Ryan were born. Charles enjoyed steelhead fishing in the Snoqualmie River, and he and Carol participated in co-ed bowling and volleyball. His vegetable garden was his pride and joy for many years.

From 1968 until his death in 2017, he served the City of Snoqualmie – as Councilman, eight years as Mayor, six years on the Planning Commission – for a total of 40 years, all while working full time for either Weyerhaeuser or the L&SW 1845 union. At the time of his death on April 8th, he was the incumbent councilman in Position 7.

A memorial service was held April 15 at the Snoqualmie United Methodist Church where the Peterson family has worshiped for 52 years. The reception was held at Snoqualmie City Hall. His ashes will be spread around his favorite places in Snoqualmie.

Donations may be made to the Charles S. Peterson City Memorial Fund through the Sno Falls Credit Union.