Peter Chelemedos

Twelve days shy of his 97th birthday, Peter Chelemedos passed away peacefully on January 29, 2019. Born on February 10, 1922, the second of five sons, he was raised in California and entered his long and interesting life by signing onto a merchant ship at age 16 during the depths of the Depression. During World War II he served in the United States Merchant Marine and several of the ships he sailed on were torpedoed. When he signed on aboard the third ship after two were sunk, the Captain told him he was not sure he wanted him on board. Many exciting adventures were recounted in his published memoir, "Peter, the Odyssey of a Merchant Mariner"

Married during the war, he settled in Seattle in August of 1946, just in time to witness the maritime strike of 1947-48. Making a living was difficult with a wife and two children but he attended accounting school and worked as a business manager during the 1950's. In the 1960's he joined the ILWU checkers Union and worked "shore side" supervising the loading and unloading of ships. This was an interesting time to participate in the changeover to containers for cargo shipments.

With the attainment of his Master License, he became a Captain qualified to sail any vessel on the seven seas. He remained a devoted member of the Council of American Merchant Mariners and several maritime and Veteran and pension organizations.

Retirement allowed him to write and publish his book and then he and his wife Kay traveled extensively visiting Norway, Sweden, Greece, Egypt, New Zealand, Australia, and many places he sailed during the war. Aside from traveling they enjoyed many social activities with the Seattle Storytellers Guild, the Sherlock Holmes Society, and the Shoreline Unitarian Church.

Peter is preceded in death by his wife of 74 years, Kay, and his son, Peter Steven. He is survived by his daughter, Penelope Haase.