Peter Charles Kerl Sr.

Peter Charles KERL, Sr. Passed away on March 31, 2005 at the age of 86 in Bremerton. He was born on June 10, 1918 in Lancaster, N.Y. to Peter Paul and Minnie Finck Kerl. He graduated from Lancaster High School in 1936. During the dark days of the Great Depression, he supported his family by working in the steel mills of Buffalo. He enlisted in the Air Force in March, 1941. On July 14, 1944 he married Catharine Hill Lyon of Greenwood, S.C. in Tallahassee, FL. He often pointed out that his wife outranked him as captain by seven days. He later rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 1948 he and his wife moved from Florida to Seattle and later to Edmonds, where they raised their four children. In 1974 Peter and Catharine moved to Port Ludlow where they lived for 26 years. He fully retired in 1979 from the whole sale distribution business for RCA and Whirlpool products where he had been vice president of sales and advertising. In 2001 he and Catharine moved to Bellingham and in 2004 they moved to Poulsbo. Among his interests were politics, golf, fishing, hunting and his family. Peter was preceded in death three months ago by Catharine, his wife of 60 years. He is also preceded in death by his sisters Dorietha and Mariadele and his great grandson, Alex Gamble. He is survived by his children Peter Kerl Jr. (Judy) of Olympia, daughter Julia of Santa Fe, NM, son John (Letha) of Bellingham and Monterrey, Mexico and daughter Catharine Vader (Peter Homann) of Bellingham. He also leaves behind seven grandchildren.