Allen L. Peterson (1945-2023)

Deacon Allen L. Peterson

Deacon Allen Leonard Peterson was born on November 29, 1945, in Spokane, Wash. and passed away unexpectedly on May 15, 2023. He was 77. 

Allen served in the Army as an MP in Germany from 1965 through 1969, and while in Germany, he married Linda Owen on April 1, 1967, in Augsburg. After graduating from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education, Allen started working with Boeing in 1974 in Seattle. IN 1987 he opened Swede's Fly Shop in Woodinville, Wash. He moved the shop to Spokane in 2002, where it became his full-time occupation and gathering place for good friends. 

He was ordained a permanent deacon in 2010, serving both St. Charles and St. Augustine Catholic parishes and volunteering in prison ministry. Allen was also an active Eagles and Knights of Columbus member. In his free time, he was a keyboard player of the piano and organ, and his favorite hobby was fly-fishing. 

Allen is survived by his wife, Linda Peterson; two sons Anthony of Seattle and Alex of Spokane; two daughters, Angela and Adrienne, both of Seattle; one sister Susan of Bellevue; eight Grandchildren and one Great grandchild. Allen was preceded in death by his parents Leonard and Esther and his brother Dennis.  

The Rosary and Vigil is 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at St. Augustine Catholic Church, 428 W 19th Ave., Spokane, WA 99203. The Funeral Mass is 9:00 a.m., Thursday, June 1, also at St. Augustine Catholic Church, followed by Military Honors and Committal at the Washington State Veteran's Cemetery in Medical Lake, WA.  

Obituaries for clergy and religious who have lived or served in the Diocese of Spokane may be emailed to inlandcatholic@dioceseofspokane.org. Inland Catholic reserves the right to refuse or edit any submissions.