John Frederick Peterson, III, died on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2022, at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland, Washington. He was born on May 9, 1962, in Missoula, Montana to Doris A. (Brown) Peterson and John Frederick Peterson, Jr. John was a Montanan, through and through. He was a Boy Scout, an avid skier and a lifeguard who graduated from Sentinel High School in 1980, a year after his sister, Jackie. They were 13 months apart in age. John attended the University of Montana where he studied photography and eventually worked for the Missoulian newspaper as a freelance photographer.

In the mid-1980s, John moved to the Tri-Cities and worked, for a time, as a photographer at the Tri-City Herald. He had a number of interesting jobs over his lifetime (a U.S. Mail carrier, a Home Depot appliance associate, a Charter Communications salesperson). However, John was most proud of his 25 years spent working for Moon Security in Pasco, Washington where he engineered and designed commercial and residential security and fire systems. He implemented the, first of its kind, SCRAM alcohol monitoring system in Benton and Franklin Counties' District Court. In 1997 he married his wife, Tami, on the Clark Fork River in Missoula, Montana. John was a beloved stepfather to Tami's two children, Kristi and David.

He was a caretaking son-in-law to Tami's mother, Reba, in her golden years, and he was a lifelong hobby photographer. John was also a gourmet chef. He was known for his souffles that never fell and his hollandaise that never curdled. Food & Wine was his favorite magazine, and he was very proud of the time he spent owning and operating TJ Pete's Food & Espresso with Tami on Clearwater Avenue in Kennewick.

John was preceded in death by his loving mother, Doris. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Tamara (Sumner) Peterson, his father, John F. Peterson, Jr., of Missoula, Montana, his sister, Jacqueline A. Peterson, of Missoula, Montana and Seattle, Washington, his stepdaughter, Kristina Jarrett-McKennon (Larry Baron), of Richland, his stepson, David C. Jarrett (Michelle), of Richland, three step grandsons and his mother-in-law, Reba Sumner, of Richland.

There will be no service at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations in John's name to the American Liver Foundation at liverfoundation.org.