Clare D. “Pete” Peterson

The Brantling Ski Patrol in Sodus, NY lost a long-time fellow patroller when alumnus Pete Peterson passed away peacefully on October 30, 2016, at the age of 77.

Pete was a member of the National Ski Patrol at Brantling for 37 years from 1977 until his retirement in 2014 and served as Patrol Director from 1983 to 1986. His many contributions to his patrol over the years included service on the candidate training team, writing the patrol by-laws, recruitment of new candidates, patrol equipment manager, area management liaison, MC for the annual open house fundraising events, renovation of the patrol first aid room, and creator and editor of the patrol’s newsletter “The Toboggan.” Pete was an OEC instructor for many years both at Brantling where he directed the on-the-hill refreshers and in the Genesee Valley Region where he taught region-wide candidate classes and refreshers and mentored new OEC instructors. At the region level, he was an Awards Committee member, founded the region newsletter “Valley Views” and served as editor for several years, and was elected Assistant Region Director for 3 two-year terms from 1991 to 1997. As a result of his leadership and service to his patrol and region, he was awarded Leadership Commendation Appointment Number 2004 in 1992, one of the first patrollers in the nation to receive this honor. Pete was also the official chauffeur of the Genesee Valley Region ferrying many region officers and instructors in the commodious captain’s chairs of his conversion van to Eastern Division meetings and Young Adult Patroller Seminars.

Pete was a graduate of Ithaca College, served in the U.S. Army at Fort Devens in Massachusetts, and worked for many years at the Xerox Corporation in Rochester, NY. In addition to his many patrol activities, Pete was an avid bicyclist and was proud of the fact that each year he biked his age in miles.  He had a role in creating and maintaining the Hojack Biking Trail in Webster, NY and was a strong supporter of the Genesee Valley Greenway and the Finger Lakes Trail. He was also an inveterate New York Yankee fan and brought many of his fellow fans on annual treks to Yankee Stadium in his conversion van.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane, son Eric, daughters Kristen (Joseph) Becker and Heidi (Richard) Maus; many grandchildren; brother Jeff (Sandy) Harper of Wolcott, sister Becky (Robert) Ceccarelli of North Rose and their families. A memorial service was held on Sunday, November 6, 2016, at the Norton Funeral Home in Wolcott, NY with a reception following the service at the Wolcott Elks Lodge. In lieu of flowers, Pete's wishes were for donations to be made for breast cancer research in honor of his wife.

Pete was a loyal friend, a respected colleague, and a patroller who set an excellent example for candidates and other patrollers to follow. We shall miss his friendship and always remember the fundamental contributions that he made for so many years to ski patrolling and the skiing public.

Nicholas Schiavetti, Brian Mayou, and Jerry Sherman
Genesee Valley Region of the Eastern Division