Todd M. Peterson

Todd M. Peterson, 69, of Etna, California, passed away unexpectedly on December 11, 2018. He was the beloved husband of Patricia Peterson and the son of the late Walter C. Peterson and Barbara J. (Brinkerhoff) Peterson. Todd was born in San Francisco, grew up in and around Los Altos Hills, California and attended Los Altos High School. He graduated with distinction from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science, and with a Juris Doctor magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. Todd was an elite athlete throughout his high school and college years, and was inducted into the Los Altos High School Hall Of Fame for his pole vaulting records. Todd practiced law in Chico, California for 28 years before moving to Etna in 2002 where he practiced law until his death. He was an avid fly fisherman, rugby player, a terrible golfer both left and right-handed, and made many a bad bet in Reno as well as a few good parlays on his favorite Bay Area sports teams. Todd loved to take his kids camping and thoroughly enjoyed his grandchildren, dogs, roses and bungee cords. He loved to laugh, was quick-witted, enjoyed his Far Side calendars, and played a mean game of Trivial Pursuit. He was always willing to help out anyone in need and was a great counselor, admired for his high standard of ethics. Todd will be greatly missed by his family and many dear friends. Besides his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Megan Peterson Mitchell and her husband Darrell Mitchell, a son, Kyle W. Peterson and his wife Carrie Campbell, a son, Christian W. Peterson and his wife Maki Peterson, a son, Tyler E. Peterson and his wife Nicole Peterson, seven grandchildren: Nalia, Jude, Soren, Theo, Maeve, Eliot and Henry and a grandchild on the way, his brother, Thomas W. Peterson and his wife Christine Peterson, his sister, Taylor Vanderlip and her husband Scott Vanderlip, his sister-in-law, Kristin Peterson and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and his elder brother, Tyler C. Peterson. A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, December 22nd at 11:00 AM at the Scott Valley Berean Church in Etna at 134 Church Street with a reception to follow. A second service is tentatively planned in mid to late March at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Chico. Donations in his memory may be made to Stanford University, specify The Walter Clayton Peterson Memorial Scholarship Fund with the payment. Online at giving.stanford.edu, or mail to Stanford Office of Development, 326 Galvez Street, Stanford, CA 94305-6105 or to the North Valley Community Foundation Camp Fire Relief Fund at www.nvcf.org.

Todd M. Peterson

May 5, 1949 - December 11, 2018