Ryan James Petersen

June 1, 1979 - March 3, 2025

In loving memory ~

It is with great sadness that we announc the sudden passing of Ryan James Petersen on March 3, 2025 at the age of 45. He was an incredibly outgoing personality, passionate outdoors man, and above all a loving father, son, brother and friend who will be missed by many.

Ryan was born on June 1, 1979 in Comox, B.C., to Jim and Janice Petersen as the second of four sons and the most dedicated thrill-seeker and mischief-maker. His zest for squeezing the last ounce of fun out of each day led to endless adventures and wild tales that will live on forever through the stories of family and friends.

He was charming, loyal, bold, curious, brave and magnetic. He drew people into his orbit - and those people could find themselves on a fishing boat the next sunrise, clambering under a ski boundary rope to hunt pow mid-day, or simply stoking a backyard bonfire and swapping stories with new friends at dusk. When his name popped up on a phone screen, accepting the call had the power to turn a quiet weekend into a memorable one. He could build a hockey team from scratch one day, and then turn a slab of halibut into a new fence the next.

He lived for 'bluebirds' and tide changes, sunrises and sunsets, lake days and campfires, and above all, good times with the good people in his life.

Aptly tagged with the nickname 'Cowboy' from his fish-guiding days, nobody would go further, longer or out in worse conditions to fill their clients' boat with fish or send them packing with more yarns to re-tell back home. His hard-earned expertise made him a popular guide at the lodges he worked and a wealth of knowledge for his fishing buddies at home. His legendary hooksets will forever be remembered by those who witnessed them, with only the high fives after the fish inevitably landed in the boat matching them in aggressiveness.

Ryan fully embraced family life as a father to his two children, Ryler and Brynlee, with his former wife Kelsey (n茅e Lawrence). He was loving and dedicated and absolutely cherished his time spent with them, often boasting proudly of their accomplishments while helping shape their wonderful personalities. He involved himself in their lives as a coach and a teacher, helping them find their passions and stoking the fires that burn bright within them. He would do anything for his kids. Family meant everything.

An exhausting battle with mental illness in recent years eventually robbed him of a longer, fuller life. He is truly irreplaceable in so many ways, and it hurts.

Left behind to share in memories of him are Kelsey and their children Ryler and Brynlee, parents Jim and Janice, brothers Brook (Sheila), Scott (Erin) and Aran (Brittany), our Gigi, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

The Celebration of Life service to honour the life of Ryan James Petersen will be held from 1-3 p.m. on April 19, 2025 at th Florence Filberg Centre (411 Anderton Ave. in Courtenay).

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to KidSport Comox Valley in his memory. Ryan was passionate about making sure all kids could afford to play sports, and especially hockey.

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