Eric E. Peterson

Lisa
I am sorry to hear of your loss. Memories are the saga of ones life may your be fond always. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. God bless.

My mom called me last week with the news about Eric. I just wanted to share with everyone how very, very sorry I was. It seemed that I was just on the verge of getting to know him better; I was so looking forward to going fishing with him this summer with the new pole that he had been so kind as to have insisted making for me. A truly great guy...his passing marks a tremendous loss, both to the family and to all those in the world whose lives he touched. Of course (just as I felt about the...

It was Christmas Eve 3 years ago when I realized the man Eric was. Adam and I just told the family a birthmother picked us to adopt her baby. Without hesitation Eric walked directly over to me with tears in his eyes and hugged me. That is a true measure of a man that knows the importance and love that only a child can bring. Our hearts go out to his entire family that was blessed to have him.

I only had the privilege of knowing Eric for about 13 years, but his presence in my life was extraordinary in so many ways. One of my most vivid memories of Eric was at Lisa’s and my wedding. After the song I wrote for Lisa was played, Eric walked up to me with tears in his eyes, shaking his finger at me in a way that I knew meant “Don’t you dare hurt her or you have to deal with me.” It was that ability to say so much with so few words and his caring for others that separated Eric from...

We had the tremendous pleasure of getting to know Bear a little over the course of the last five years. We were immediately drawn to the guy because he embodied all of the attributes both of us respect and love in a person. Toughness, frankness, boldness, all tempered by kindness and best of all a great sense of humor. And while we weren't able to be there in his final days we know that he held fast to those great values until the very last day. Linda, Lisa, Joe, Steve, Billy and all......

Although I only knew Bear for such a short period of time, I feel very fortunate to have known him. My thoughts are with his family...he will be missed greatly.

The last time I saw Eric he was rolling two Harley-Davidsons out of his truck for Joe and Lisa. It was obvious he knew his way around bikes, and I asked if he'd ever had one. He said he had, I think he said in Japan. He'd been in the military, and in the war in Korea, and I knew he'd been an aviator but only because Joe told me the day we went skydiving and Eric watched, graciously never letting on how much he knew about the whole thing. Anyway, after he rolled the bikes out I asked if...

Our whole family will miss Bear very much but we feel very lucky and honored to have known him. He is a wonderful example of a husband, father and gentleman. Quiet but full of class, with many talents.
Our thoughts are with Linda and her family.

Ron, Terry, Ben and Max

I took a long ride on my motorcycle today. It was sunny and beautiful and I felt like Bear was with me the whole way, smiling, with the wind blowing in what was left of his hair. I miss him so much. A better father couldn't possibly exist.