Obituary of Robert "Bob" Jay Peterson

Robert "Bob" Jay Peterson of Gresham, OR passed away on May 8, 2021 of Covid-19 at the age of 70. The last few hours of his life were spent in Mt Hood Legacy Hospital with his wife and children by his side. As a family we will always be grateful for that last little bit of time we were allowed to be with him.

Bob is survived by his wife Vickie Peterson; children Justin Foreman, Mary Peterson, and Holly Kjeldsen; son-in-law Rasmus Kjeldsen; grandchildren Kirsten, Kody, Grayson, Henry, Chase, and Jaycee; and siblings Shaena Peterson and Kevin Peterson. He is also survived by many nephews, nieces, a host of long-time friends, and fellow police officers. Bob is preceded in death by his parents, Pat and Robert; step mother Ruth Peterson; and brother Michael Peterson. 

Bob was born in Frederic, Wisconsin to Robert and Pat Peterson on October 13, 1950. He spent his childhood in Gresham, OR and graduated from Estacada High School in 1968. After high school, he joined the Navy. Bob was proud of his years in the Navy including his time in Vietnam.   

In 1976, he joined the Gresham Police Dept where he was employed for 37 years, 33 of which were in investigations as a Detective. During his career, he worked with many agencies – sheriff’s departments, the FBI, Homeland Security, and state police departments. He was a member of many undercover investigations, worked many high-profile cases, and was even an explosive bomb technician. Bob has a long list of professional accomplishments and received numerous awards throughout his career, including recognition as the state's top narcotics officer in 1991 as well as officer of the year for the Gresham Police Department in 2008. Upon his retirement in 2013, he continued working as a private investigator until he got sick just two weeks before his passing.

Bob was passionate about his work as a police officer and loved working with his fellow officers. While he devoted a lot of time to his career, Bob considered his family to be his greatest accomplishment. He was always a wonderful husband to Vickie and a fantastic father to Justin, Mary, and Holly; he was so very proud of them! His family has wonderful memories of him hosting holiday and weekend get-togethers, home-cooked meals, telling stories and making sure everyone had a good time. He enjoyed helping others. If a family member or friend needed him, he would always be there.  

A memorial service and celebration of life will take place on August 7, 2021 at Bob & Vickie Peterson’s home in Gresham, Oregon – the home he loved so much, the home that was always open to his friends and family. Celebrations start at 2pm, eulogies will begin at 3pm, and a BBQ and drinks will follow. We know Bob had an impact on many people’s lives, and we would like to spend this day with all of you. The family would love to hear stories of Bob’s many adventures both professional and personal. Please feel free to join us to share stories at the memorial. You can also send stories, memories, and pictures to bobpeterson2021@gmail.com.