Eric ‘Keith’ Petterson
1945-2024

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Keith Petterson was “born at a young age” in Lakeport, California. His parents, Jean and Katie Dorn Petterson were pear farmers in Kelseyville.

With his two brothers, Dave and Tom, he grew up working on the farm and developed a lifelong love of farming. He continued farming his entire working life.

After high school graduation, Keith earned his bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He “crammed four years of schooling into five,” obtained his pilot’s training and license and met and married Joyce Autry.

They moved back to Lake County, where he continued to farm the family pear orchards, and where his children, Stacia and Eric, were born.

Besides farming, the whole family enjoyed the outdoors: camping, riding horses, hunting, fishing and diving. Keith also enjoyed sailing and took many trips with his son, Eric, and cousin, Myron Holdenried, and different friends, to the Windward Island, Sea of Cortez and Tahiti.

Besides sailing, Keith traveled to several South American countries with the Agricultural Leadership Program, as well as numerous trips to visit his cousin, Reid Dorn, who grew wine grapes in Chile. He traveled to Guam and France to visit daughter, Stacia, who was living there.

In 2005 he met and married Denise Ishihara, and they traveled to Australia and Alaska, and celebrated one magical Christmas in Yellowstone National Park.

Keith loved road trips and traveled to Texas and Nebraska with “The Queen Mother”-in-law and sisters-in-laws, Vicki and Kathy, and stepson, Rob.

He loved to see the natural scenery but also the farmlands to see what crops were being farmed. But the sight that excited him the most was the tractor dealerships, where he would point out which tractor he wanted.

The most wonderful thing about Keith was his love of family and friends, many of them lifelong.

He is survived by his wife, Denise; his brothers, Dave and Tom; children, Stacia (Jim) Drape and Eric (Laurie) Petterson; stepsons, Rob (Jennifer), Rich (Kristen) and Scott (Lauri) Ishihara; and his beloved grandchildren, Chloe, Annie, Caleb, Emily, Gus, Cate, Eva, Josie, Brianna, Lucas, Ava and Dominic. He also has two great granddaughters, Ophelia and Iris. His love for them kept him going through numerous health challenges.

He maintained his positive attitude and enjoyment of life until the end when he passed away April 5 in the home in which he grew up.

He was an inspiration of strength and fortitude and will be deeply missed. He loved to take the road less traveled, and his motto was, “I don’t just travel to medical appointments, I go on adventures!”

A graveside ceremony to honor Keith will be on Monday, May 6, at 11 a.m. in the Kelseyville Cemetery on Bell Hill Road.

Lunch and sharing stories about Keith will take place immediately afterwards at the home of cousins Debbi and Brent Holdenried.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.