Camille Peterson

Camille Hope Peterson was a beloved wife, sister, friend, and a person of deep faith. She was an amazingly talented musician, teacher, and life-long learner. She lived in the Wenatchee Valley for more than 50 years. She was our mother. One of the things our mom always disparaged was “tooting your own horn.” She felt your actions should speak for themselves. Nonetheless, we will share some of her personal highlights of her extraordinary life to celebrate her passing. Camille grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She was a talented musician and earned her first degree, magna cum laude, from Northwestern School of Music in Piano Performance. A life- long learner, she also achieved a degree in nursing from Wenatchee Valley College, and a Law degree, cum laude, from Gonzaga University. Camille met and married Dale Peterson while they were both at Northwestern University. After a two year stay at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines during the Vietnam War, Dale finished his residency at the Mayo Clinic before they moved to Wenatchee to make a home and raise their three children: Jill, Mark, and Wendy. Camille established herself as a performer and teacher of harp and piano in Eastern Washington. She was featured as a concert soloist on both piano and harp. Her favorite piano concertos were the Rachmaninoff Second and Third Piano Concertos. She was the first harpist for literally every symphony orchestra in Central and Eastern Washington. She was Spokane’s Principal harpist for nearly 20 years. She was Pulitzer Prize winning conductor Gunther Schuller’s choice to play the Debussy Dances for harp and orchestra for his summer conducting institute. She was also adjunct professor of harp for Gonzaga University, Whitworth University, Eastern Washington University, and North Idaho State. Camille taught harp for decades in Wenatchee and inspired generations of harpists to become professional musicians. Camille was deeply involved in the church community in Wenatchee. The family attended the First Presbyterian Church while the children were growing up. Camille played for countless services and participated in the church choir. She played for many churches in the Wenatchee Valley for weddings, celebrations, and memorial services. Later in their life, Dale and Camille became Catholic and Camille became a Dame of Malta to join her husband in their mission outreach which included Wenatchee’s Hospitality House, Haven of Hope, The Vitae Foundation in Seattle, Healing the Culture Foundation, 3W Medical for Women in Seattle, Wenatchee Right to Life, and the Crudem Foundation and Hospital Sacre Coer in Milot, Haiti. Camille had a large circle of family, musical friends, her church community, and her personal group of life-long friends, known as the birthday group. Her friends, her husband, Dale, her children, her 14 grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren will miss her greatly. In honor of our mother, we would like to share with you some of her best lessons: read a good book; take a walk outside; keep a steady rhythm; sit up straight; always offer to do the dishes; pray; and go to church. Donations in Camille’s honor can be made to the Crudem Foundation for the Wenatchee Pack-a-thon for the Hungry in Haiti. P.O.Box 804, Ludlow, MA 01056.

Tributes

Camille Peterson

December 9, 1945 - February 20, 2024