Obituaries

Carolyn LaVone Peterson, age 78, of Bremerton, WA, passed away peacefully February 8, 2023, at St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale, WA, due to liver cancer and pulmonary complications. She is survived by her husband, David W. Peterson, brother John Cohoon and his wife Cathy. Carolyn’s family, her many friends and acquaintances will miss her kind heart, friendliness, generosity, graciousness, teaching skills, and love of life.

Carolyn was born on the Fourth of July, 1944. Her father Ellis Cohoon was still in wartime England. Carolyn’s loving mother, Rachelle, brought Carolyn into the world at Tacoma General Hospital. The family lived in Lakewood, Washington for many years, taking extended trips to live in New Jersey, Alabama, and Maryland where Ellis attended electronics schools. Carolyn was known to many of the extended family members as Kibby. She and the family made frequent visits to Waitsburg, WA to see Grandpa and Grandma Cohoon. Grandpa and Grandma Alhstrom lived in Lakewood and were very close to Carolyn as she grew up. Carolyn’s favorite pet as a child was a little black cocker spaniel named Blackie. Later in life, for eighteen years, her orange cat Buttons, a British Shorthair, captured her heart forever. Carolyn graduated from Clover Park High School in 1962. She spent her freshman year of college at Pacific Lutheran University.

In 1963, she moved with her family to Tooele, Utah, where her father’s job in the Civil Service had transferred him. Carolyn enrolled at Utah State University in Logan, Utah and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in June 1966. She taught elementary school in Tooele for one year, but the family then moved back to Washington in 1967. Carolyn married Mike Lilley on June 2, 1967, and went with him to San Diego where he was stationed in the Navy. Eventually she and Mike moved back to Washington State, where she lovingly taught second graders at Jackson Park Elementary for thirty-three years. Carolyn and Mike divorced January 18, 1979.

She later met CKHS teacher Dave Peterson and they married August 15, 1992, built and moved into a wonderful Victorian home overlooking Hood Canal. In August 2008 they downsized and moved into a condo in downtown Bremerton, overlooking Sinclair Inlet where she enjoyed watching the ferries, pleasure boats, Navy ships, eagles and ducks. She liked going to watch the Seahawks in the old Kingdome and cruising to Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, and in the Mediterranean. She enjoyed movies, book club, reading, political campaigns, counted cross stitch, lasagna, mac and cheese, a hot cup of tea, visiting friends, watching YouTube, and playing Words with Friends. Her favorite songs were “Brown Eyed Girl, “Old Time Rock & Roll”, and everything by Freddie Mercury and the band Queen.

Carolyn suffered a number of serious health issues throughout her adult life, beginning in 1972, when she contracted Hodgkin Disease. From that time going forward she suffered a number of other serious health challenges. She had wonderful doctors. She was a fighter and tried so hard to live.

Carolyn was a loving wife and friendly to everyone she met. She will be remembered lovingly by her husband, brother, sister-in-law, relatives, and her many friends from school, the condo, and living a gracious life. And, by the many hundreds of school children in whose lives Carolyn played a major and positive role. She was the world’s best second-grade teacher. Carolyn was a special, lovely lady who could find the best in everyone she met.

Family and friends can gather Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 3:00pm at the Hillcrest Columbarium in Forest Lawn Cemetery, located next to Lewis Funeral Chapel, Bremerton, WA, to visit and remember Carolyn’s life as her ashes are placed near her parents on her mother’s birthday. In lieu of flowers, remember her by acts of kindness to others and loving your family, friends, and every orange cat you see. And every Fourth of July think of Carolyn when you watch the beautiful fireworks.

“When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.”
–William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet