Peter Joseph Carlson's Obituary
Peter Joseph Carlson of Deer Island, Oregon, known as “Pete” to his friends, passed away of heart disease on August 17, 2024, at age 61. He was born on April 12, 1963, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to James Arthur Carlson and Anne Louise (née Anderson) Carlson, as the oldest of four boys. He enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard, and subsequently in the United States Army. He worked a variety of jobs before returning to school for an Associate’s Degree and starting his career as a paramedic. He relocated to the Pacific Northwest, first to southwestern Washington and then to northwestern Oregon, and was known and respected throughout the emergency medical systems in both states, helping to train large numbers of emergency responders throughout the region. He was also known for his love of tinkering, of hunting, and of the outdoors. Animals were always a part of his life, from his early interest in hawks and falcons, to training a donkey to pull garden carts, to supporting his wife Angela’s training of border collies for agility competitions. He is remembered for his sense of humor and his willingness to fight for what he saw as right.
He is survived by his wife, Esther “Angela” (née Shaefer) Carlson, his parents Jim and Anne Carlson; his three brothers Paul, Patrick, and John; his two sons from an earlier marriage Christopher and Thomas; two grandchildren Ariana and Aidan; and eight nieces and nephews.
A memorial service with reception following will be held on December 14, 2024, at 1:00 pm at Columbia Funeral Home in St. Helens, Oregon.
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