PETER OLAFSON (1955 - 2026)
Our beloved older brother, Peter Neil Olafson, passed away in La Mesa, CA on January 8, 2026, after a long illness. Peter was born on November 23, 1955 in Poughkeepsie, NY to his loving parents, Frederick and Allie Olafson (Lewis). Peter grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY, Baltimore, MD, Newtonville, MA and La Jolla, CA. He graduated from La Jolla High School in 1973. He graduated from Washington University with a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in journalism from one of the nation's finest journalism schools, the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. Peter was an excellent journalist and during the 1980s he wrote for the Memphis Press-Scimitar and for 8 years for the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, NY where he wrote many articles, features and movie reviews and won an Associated Press award for an article about a parental kidnapping. Peter was also an avid fan of British pop music and wrote reviews for Trouser Press and started his own newspaper, Hey Bulldog, named after the Beatles' 1968 song.
While at the Record, Peter met his former wife Evelyn Nieves, and the two were married in New York City on September 1, 1990. Peter and Evelyn lived in New York and New Jersey before moving to San Francisco during the late 1990s. Peter, who was an avid player of computer games, worked as a reviewer for the New York Times and for an online gaming magazine in San Francisco. During the early 2000s, Peter wrote guides for such computer games as Oblivion and Final Fantasy, which garnered very favorable reviews and sold many copies. He currently has several guides on Good Reads. Peter was also an avid reader and writer of short stories. Peter also loved pop music bands such as the Beatles, the Move, Badfinger, the Jam, Big Star and many others and he also wrote and recorded his own music.
Peter is survived by his brothers, Christopher and Thomas Olafson (Sylvia) and by his nephews and nieces, Jose Aguilar, Angelica Silva, Arthur Aguilar, and Jennifer Hernandez and their families in El Centro and Imperial, CA. He is also survived by his cousins on his mother's side, Nick Lewis (Judie), Norah Lewis (Hugo), Sally Lewis (Alan) and Claudia Lehr (Matt) and on his father's side, by his cousins Rick Olafson (Sarah), Jim MacDonald (Merrilee), and Katherine Almy (Richard) and their families, along with many other relatives.
Peter Olafson led a full and eventful life, and his loving family and friends miss him. A memorial service has not been scheduled, and Peter's family asks that donations be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) on Peter's behalf.
Our beloved older brother, Peter Neil Olafson, passed away in La Mesa, CA on January 8, 2026, after a long illness. Peter was born on November 23, 1955 in Poughkeepsie, NY to his loving parents, Frederick and Allie Olafson (Lewis). Peter grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY, Baltimore, MD, Newtonville, MA and La Jolla, CA. He graduated from La Jolla High School in 1973. He graduated from Washington University with a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in journalism from one of the nation's finest journalism schools, the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. Peter was an excellent journalist and during the 1980s he wrote for the Memphis Press-Scimitar and for 8 years for the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, NY where he wrote many articles, features and movie reviews and won an Associated Press award for an article about a parental kidnapping. Peter was also an avid fan of British pop music and wrote reviews for Trouser Press and started his own newspaper, Hey Bulldog, named after the Beatles' 1968 song.
While at the Record, Peter met his former wife Evelyn Nieves, and the two were married in New York City on September 1, 1990. Peter and Evelyn lived in New York and New Jersey before moving to San Francisco during the late 1990s. Peter, who was an avid player of computer games, worked as a reviewer for the New York Times and for an online gaming magazine in San Francisco. During the early 2000s, Peter wrote guides for such computer games as Oblivion and Final Fantasy, which garnered very favorable reviews and sold many copies. He currently has several guides on Good Reads. Peter was also an avid reader and writer of short stories. Peter also loved pop music bands such as the Beatles, the Move, Badfinger, the Jam, Big Star and many others and he also wrote and recorded his own music.
Peter is survived by his brothers, Christopher and Thomas Olafson (Sylvia) and by his nephews and nieces, Jose Aguilar, Angelica Silva, Arthur Aguilar, and Jennifer Hernandez and their families in El Centro and Imperial, CA. He is also survived by his cousins on his mother's side, Nick Lewis (Judie), Norah Lewis (Hugo), Sally Lewis (Alan) and Claudia Lehr (Matt) and on his father's side, by his cousins Rick Olafson (Sarah), Jim MacDonald (Merrilee), and Katherine Almy (Richard) and their families, along with many other relatives.
Peter Olafson led a full and eventful life, and his loving family and friends miss him. A memorial service has not been scheduled, and Peter's family asks that donations be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) on Peter's behalf.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Peter Neil Olafson, please visit our flower store.
Peter Neil Olafson's Guestbook
Visits: 32
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors