Peter Aurand

SUN CITY WEST - Peter Aurand, 1926-2012, was born to Parley and Agnes Aurand in Half Moon, Mont. He was married to Vera Jean (Redmond) Van Wyk on October 12, 1946. Peter spent his childhood in Columbia Falls and Kalispell, Mont. and his summers as a teen working in Glacier National Park. He was in the Navy Armed Guard for 3 years during World War II. He survived the torpedoing of a ship he served on that was destroyed near New Zealand. In 1957, he moved to Nine Mile Falls, Wash. and worked for a body shop, going on to be an adjuster for Allstate Insurance Company where he spent 22 years adjusting home owner, commercial, and catastrophe claims. He also spent 26 years as a volunteer fireman in the Nine Mile Falls fire station #3. Much of that time he served as Battalion Chief. He also served as president of the arson investigators of Spokane County. He retired in 1987, when he and his wife traveled in a motor home. In 1990, he moved to Sequim, Wash. to fish and enjoy the ocean. In 1995, they moved to Sun City West, Ariz. to spend winters. Pete was a member of the SCW wood shop, metal shop, and lapidary club. His first love was wood turning. He treasured the people working-out at the Beardsley Rec Center early morning exercise group. He was a man that liked people and helped everyone who came in contact with him. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Oliver, Robert, and Charles; sisters, Margaret and Lenora. He is survived by his wife of 66 years at the family home; a daughter; Roberta Jean (Bobbie) Jones; son-in-law, Geoffrey Jones; grandchildren, Peter Todd Jones (Paula), Trudy Jean Jones (Wally), and Teresa Joann McCoy (Jessie); great-grandchildren, Lindsey Jones, Garrett Jones, Kady Jones and Mairi McCoy. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and neighbors. Pete put up a 2 year battle with lung cancer that spread to his brain. Special thanks to Hospice of the Valley for their kind help in his last days.