Support Erin Peterson's Daughters

On September 13, 2023, two game wardens and a chaplain came to my home to inform me that Erin Peterson, my wife, and mother of my two toddlers, was killed in the line of duty. She became entrapped in a class 4 rapid during a survey on the Wind River. Erin could breathe so long as she had the strength to keep her head in an upright position against the force of the water. There, she remained for an hour and a half before hypothermia took her consciousness, and she subsequently drowned.

Erin was working as a biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at the time of her passing. Most of her job duties focused on the Lewis River salmon runs, but periodically, she would assist other projects. Erin had a passion for the outdoors that was inspiring to others. She spent much of her time mentoring others and spreading her love for the complexity of aquatic ecosystems. At home, she was a devoted mother to Victoria and Athena, and they miss her dearly.

I am setting up this fund to raise money for Victoria and Athena, Erin’s daughters. Any money raised will be placed in a fund owned by the children and used to help enrich their lives.

Below, I have included the obituary from her memorial service. It has been a hard two months for me and my family. Thank you for your donation.

Mark Owens

Erin Diane Peterson, the first child of Trevor Peterson and Susan LaBounty, was born on February 21, 1992, in Bellevue, Washington. She attended Bellevue Christian School from kindergarten through 12th grade, participating throughout high school in competitive cross-country running and playing the French horn. She graduated in 2010 and continued her studies at Oregon State University, earning a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife, Magna Cum Laude, in 2014. She attended South Dakota State University, earning a Master of Science degree and graduating in 2017.

Shortly before graduation, she married Mark Owens, and by then, Erin had applied to the University of Maine in Orono to continue her education toward a PhD. There, the young couple purchased a condo in nearby Old Town, Maine, and started their family. Victoria Rose Owens was followed closely by Athena Sage Owens. In addition to her studies, Erin volunteered widely, both with her church and in her neighborhood, being instrumental in establishing a neighborhood community garden. She continued to play the French horn in her free time with a small group of musicians.

Shortly before her dissertation was completed, the Washington Department of Fisheries and Wildlife offered Erin her dream job as a fisheries biologist, so she, Mark, and the girls moved to Ridgefield, Washington, where Erin completed the final elements of her dissertation while working full-time. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Wildlife Ecology in 2022. In addition to her parents, husband, and daughters, Erin is survived by her sister and best friend, Allison Peterson Dugar.

https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/sep/14/fish-and-wildlife-biologist-drowns-during-steelhead-survey-north-of-carson/