Peter Beh

1952 - 2024

Peter Beh passed away at his home at Bullman Beach, Sekiu, WA on January 23, 2024. The temperatures were 41 and 50 degrees.

Born on February 9, 1952 in New York City, New York, he grew up on Lloyd Neck, Huntington Long Island, where a short walk through the woods led him to the beach. Graduating from Cold Spring Harbor HS, he was awarded a prestigious Regents scholarship to his university of choice in the U.S., and graduated from the University of New York at Stonybrook with a degree in English and his teaching certificate.

Knowing he had more to learn about life before settling down to teach others, hard work and adventure expanded his knowledge further. He hiked the forests and beaches of the east coast to the west, that led him to Washington state. A new book or three were his constant companions.

History was his true passion, and he was highly knowledgeable about a number of subjects, the way men thought, and their intentions. The results of reading and working taught him a lot about the world.

It was suggested he might like logging and he found that work in Neah Bay. He liked it, a lot, and the camaraderie of hard-working men. He felled timber for Crown Z, Rayonier and others, worked for the USFS Sol Duc Forest Division in old growth research and stream restoration, after which he worked with his forest service partner expanding and operating the Peak Six store at the Peterson Ranch on the Upper Hoh River. When the economy slumped after 9/11, he accepted work as a butcher, a job he loathed, but which gave him more time for home and family. Equipped with life's lessons, he returned to the classroom and said it was a privilege and an honor, a glorious way to end his varied working career. In 2015, he left work with a diagnosis of leukemia, survived a stem cell transplant and accomplished much in his last 8 years before a recurrence last year.

He enjoyed gardening, agate hunting, and listened to thousands of hours of old-time radio programming. Peter was remarkably self-disciplined, content with his life, productive, intelligent and had the courage to express his convictions. He was a true man of integrity and forgiving of those who were not.

Peter served his community as president of the Clallam Bay Medical Clinic Board, Fisheries Advisory group, was elected to the Cape Flattery School Board, and was the president and certified water system operator of the Bullman Beach water association for more than 20 years, until 2011, but continued to assist his neighbors even days before his death. He was a weather spotter for NOAA for decades, recording the daily weather and other seasonal and unusual observations from his home at Bullman Beach for 46 years. He had an eclectic enjoyment of music and of all things in his life.

In 1994, he helped design and build his current house with his wife. After 18 years together, they had a son, Conor, who now resides in Cocoa, Florida, and works for SpaceX. Proud and excited about his son's career, he would wake in the middle of the night to watch SpaceX's launches. His wife and companion for 43 years, Maureen McElravy, survives him.

Peter is also survived by two brothers, Michael (Carrie), of Brattleboro, VT and Christopher (Gali), of Boulder, CO, nieces Maia and Anika, nephews Lazlo, Eben, Moshe and Amitai, several cousins and members of his wife's family. His parents, Bruce and Patricia (Moore) Beh, grandparents, Walter and Marjorie Beh, and Sydney and Blythe Moore are deceased.

A memorial celebration will be held at the Neah Bay Community Hall in Neah Bay on February 4, 2024 at 2:00 pm.