Peter Bruce Westerlind
Pete Westerlind passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 12,2014 in Shoreline, Wash.
Pete was born on Dec. 9, 1937, in Rockford, Ill, to Gertrude Lundin Westerlind and Walfred Westerlind. He spent his early childhood in Rockford, before his family moved to Pasadena, Ca. where he attended middle and high school.
He graduated from South Pasadena High School in 1956 where he had played football and enjoyed playing pranks with his best friends. He studied economics at the University of California Santa Barbara earning a Bachelor’s degree in 1962. He also 
played football for UCSB and enjoyed surfing.
Pete then went on to do graduate work in anthropology at UCSB. An opportunity to do field work in Croatia brought him to Zagreb, where he met Eva Sköld in 1972. He also lived in Israel from 1973-1974 where he studied the economics of cooperatives on two kibbutzim. This research became his dissertation, and he earned his PhD in anthropology from UCSB.
Pete and Eva had many adventures in Croatia, Israel, Sweden and Southern California before they settled to raise their daughters in Kirkland, Wash. The family enjoyed skiing and hiking in the Pacific Northwest. Pete also loved windsurfing on Lake Washington with his friends.
Pete had a long career as an independent investment advisor in Bellevue, Wash. He really 
enjoyed his relationships with his clients.
He is survived by his wife, Eva; daughters and sons-in-law, Linnea Westerlind and David McFeely; and Erika and Jason Krumbeck; and grandchildren Liam, Evan, Graham and Annika. He is also survived by his brother Richard Westerlind of Fort Myers, Fla.
We will miss Pete’s wit, enthusiasm and irreplaceable sense of humor.
A celebration of Pete’s life will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday June 20,at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 10021 N.E. 124th St. in Kirkland. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to EvergreenHealth Foundation, Children’s Hospital, YMCA Camp Orkila, the Washington Trails Association or other nonprofit organization. More than anything, the family would love to hear your stories and memories about Pete.
13 Responses to “Peter Bruce Westerlind”
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A great loss to all the loved ones.
I had the honor of getting to know Peter in the early 80’s ..
My strongest memory of Peter is that time he was with us and fished herring in my grandfather’s rowboat on a visit here in Sweden and Peter was so happy that he kept almost about to tip over the boat when he got herrings on his hooks.
The memory I take with me
Jim and I are very saddened to hear about Pete’s death. We enjoy seeing these great photos of your sweet family here and we hope you are comforted by all the good memories of a life well lived. We send our love.
Pete had been our trusted investment advisor for many years until he suffered a stroke and was unable to continue his practice. Frans enjoyed his regular visits with Pete. At the times that I joined them, Pete always welcomed me warmly and would share some ski and/or Sweden stories before we got down to talk finances. A few weeks after Frans’ death in 2011, Pete was able to make himself understood when he called me with his condolences. What a brave soul and what warmth did he radiate. By pure coincidence our daughter Cisca turned out to be Linnea and Dave’s realtor. This was our connection into the next generation. Pete, rest in peace.
I had the privilege of being Pete’s caregiver for three years. From the first time that I met him and he told me a blond joke, I knew we would have a special relationship. He truly loved people and could make conversation with anyone. But what really impressed me was how loved and highly cherished he was by others. People in his life appreciated his generous spirit, sense of humor, and concern about what was happening in their lives and so did I. He would always ask how my boys were doing, even though sometimes he insisted I had 3 boys instead of 2, and got a great kick out of my stories of how they were growing up to be young men who were excelling in sports and their interest in girls (which he especially loved to hear about). He made me feel as if I was an additional member of his family and for that I will always cherish. I learned more than I ever wanted to about the stock market, rugby, Husky football, and Gongaza basketball but those are the things that when I read or hear about make me think of him. We had some special moments at the end including watching the Kentucky Derby together and that will always bring a smile to my face. Love you Pete.
I met Pete in the 90’s when I signed up for his Experimental College class on setting up a SEP/IRA for your business. I brought along 2 of my friends who also ran their own businesses. I liked him and trusted him and decided to start investing for my future with Pete as my advisor. He did a great job and because of his investments and what he taught me I am in excellent shape now for my retirement. Thank you, Pete, for everything and Rest in Peace.
Goodbye Pete, see you in Nangijala! Thanks for all the good and happy times together through the years. Love,
Anna and Lasse
Wonderful memories of Pete from school in So. Pasadena. California was so very different in the 50’s. We rode bikes to the Rose Parade, took the red car to the coliseum to see Bob Waterfield and the Rams, played endless football games, and the Easter vacation at Balboa almost unchaperoned with Pete and others. He was a stalwart of our class, fine athlete, caring person who had a smile for everyone. We were fortunate to find direction as we matured, and became adults, married and raised children. Some of our teachers may have doubted we’d ever grow up, but good schools and university served us well and we’ve had productive, rewarding careers. Pete will live in the memories of so many who were fortunate to have known him.
I had the pleasure of working for Pete for several years full-time and continuing to work part-time after my daughter was born. I loved the days that Pete was “cooking with gas” because he was getting those required tasks completed. Russ and I still use that term and remember Pete every time. Pete encouraged me to bring my baby to work, and allowed me to keep working part-time for several years while enjoying my children full-time. Because of his wise advice my children will both be graduating from college with no debt. I loved working for Pete and meeting Eva and Linnea and Erika. Such a warm welcoming family. Pete’s love for you all was evident every day. Thank you Linnea for being Rachel’s first babysitter! I have missed you all since moving. It is a big loss, we will all miss you Pete.
I met Pete for the first time in Stockholm. His positive personality inspired me to think about problems in a way that I, as a somewhat dour swede, never before had thought. Over a beer (or may bee two) there was not a problem we could not solve and Pete enthusiastically lead the proceedings. Those times are now gone for ever and my thoughts rest with his wonderful family, his wife Eva and his daughters, Linnea and Erika.
Deepest condolences to Pete’s family from me and mine. Eva and I are former colleagues (Stockholm University, Department of Social Anthropology) who worked together with three other women colleagues on a big comparative, research programme ‘Women and Social Change’ during the 1970s. Eva’s research took her to Croatia and mine to Ghana. I still remember her telling the rest of us about meeting Pete, her happiness was unmistakeable. Where has the time gone?! My family and I are so sorry for Eva’s and their daughters’ and grandchildren’s loss, but hope you can find some comfort in the knowledge of Pete’s love for you all. Rest in peace Pete.
Dear Pete – thanks for all the wonderful memories that we share from Fredo. The barbecues, the Fourth of July parties, you playing with the kids. We will always remember how you stole tiny Sofias heart and she lay giggling at bedtime saying: “Peppe, Peppe, Peppe!” We will always think of you when we are at Fredo.
Pete spent many summers at Fredo with Eva and every summer we next door neighbours were invited to afternoon coffee. Pete loved Fredo and loved fishing. We all remember his good humor and laughs and we miss those coffee hours. Vila i frid, Pete.
The first time we met Pete was a summer day in 1996 in Vadstena, Sweden. He came with his family by car from Fredö to join us in a meeting with a lot of second cousines.
We got connection with Pete through our family history and Eva told us a lot about the relatives who emmigrated to the USA.
Pete was a very warm, kind, joyful and social person and we are very thankful for having known him and appreciated to be invited to Seattle, where he showed us his city and the surroundings.
We miss him so much and our thoughts go to Eva, Linnéa and Erica.
May he rest in peace.