Charles E. "Chuck" Peterson was born born June 4, 1914 in North Ogden, Utah, the son of Charles Eric Peterson and Dora Ann Brown. After the death of his father, he was raised by his grandfather, Charles Alma Peterson, raised in Ogden, Utah. Chuck graduated from Ogden's Central Junior High, Ogden High School, Weber State College and the University of Chicago.

Charles married Harriet May Robison October 4, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois, later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. Harriett was born at home Aug 25, 1913 in Idaho Falls, the daughter of Alexander and Ethel Thatcher Robison. Her early years were spent there, at her father's ranch in Bone, Idaho, and in Ogden. She attended Ogden city Schools, and graduated with honors from Weber State College.

Harriet's life was filled with selfless acts of kindness to friends, neighbors, missionaries, and her family. She had a special talent and love for gardening; her bouquets were shared in chapels, hospitals, and homes of those in need.

She served as president of the Relief Society, Ladies Literary Club, Phile Nada Club, and was a volunteer for countless service organizations. In 1991 she was awarded the BYU Presidential Citation for Exemplary Service.

Chuck and Harriett's greatest love was for their family. Chuck and Harriet had four children, all of whom attended Brigham Young High School in Provo:

-- Charles Eric "Charlie" Peterson [BYH Class of 1954] (married Jan) of Vashon Island, Washington;

-- Joan Peterson [BYH Class of 1957] (married M. Byron Fisher [BYH Class of 1955) of Springdale, Utah;

-- Kent Davis Peterson [BYH Class of 1963] (married Diane) of St. George, Utah; and

-- Steven James "Steve" Peterson [BYH Class of 1967] (married Kathleen "Kathy" Bateman [BYH Class of 1969]) of Ephraim, Utah.

Chuck and Harriett have more than a dozen grandchildren and even more great-grandchildren.

At BYH, Chuck and Harriett Peterson were familiar faces to everyone, attending school events from the 1950s through the time when the school closed in 1968. Almost every Wildcat yearbook carried an advertisement for Chuck Peterson's Motors.

A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all his life, Chuck served as high counselor, bishop, stake president, president of the Chicago South Mission, and home teacher.

Chuck loved political life and served his community and state in many positions. Six governors appointed him to various committees and leadership positions. He served for five years on the Coordinating Counsel for Higher Education, and as Vice Chair for 10 years on the Board of Regents, as well as on the Utah Highway Patrol Commission.

Chuck served six years in the Utah State House of Representatives, two years as Majority Leader and two years as Speaker of the House, and eight years in the State Senate. He was a delegate almost every year of his adult life in Utah to the Republican State Convention.

Chuck Peterson was also president of the Provo Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1950, and then manager of the Provo Chamber of Commerce in 1959. He served as Chairman of the Board for Utah Valley Hospital; Walker Bank Board of Advisors, and on the Board of Directors for State Savings and Loan from 1965 to 1980.

He held the position of chairman of the Utah Automobile Dealers Association in 1967, and the Volkswagen Dealers Council in 1973.

Chuck also served on the Utah National Parks Council of The Boy Scouts of America, was a member of the Provo Kiwanis for 50 years, and was a former Kiwanis President.

Chuck Peterson received many awards of recognition, but he always modestly said that he never deserved these awards.

As owner of "Chuck Peterson's Motors", a Volkswagen dealership in Provo, Utah for 24 years, he received the 1973 TIME "Quality Dealer Award", and was made a member of the Utah Auto Dealers Hall of Fame in 1995.

Chuck was named Provo's "Mr. Free Enterprise" in 1974, received the Brigham Young University Abraham O. Smoot Public Service Award in 1978, and was given the Utah County Council of Governments Citizen of the Year Award, 1978. He also received an Honorary Alumni Award from BYU in 1977; a Weber College Presidential Citation in 1980; a Utah Valley State College Honorary Degree, 1983; and a BYU Presidential Citation, 1995. He was a founding member and former president of the BYU Cougar Club. Next to his church and family, Chuck loved BYU sports, and golf.

Charles Eric "Chuck" Peterson, age 87, died at home in Provo on January 14, 2002. Harriet May Robison Peterson, age 89, died in St. George February 20, 2003.