Celebration of Life Honoring Photographer Skip Peterson

Hailed as a “Dayton legend,” Skip Peterson (1951-2025) was known for his passion for family, photography, and cars.

Family and friends shared memories of Peterson at a celebration of life gathering on March 23 at America’s Packard Museum, 420 South Ludlow Street, Dayton.

Peterson’s granddaughters (who called him “Papa”) and four adult children spoke to a capacity crowd. A memorial slide show was accompanied by “Take it Easy” by the Eagles.

In 1973, Peterson graduated from Ohio University and then launched an award-winning career at the Dayton Daily News. He was named chief photographer and photo editor in 1982; Peterson retired from the newspaper in 2007.

The Dayton Daily News won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting for its series on military medicine. Peterson was lead photographer and photo editor on that award-winning project.

His work also was honored by the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), Ohio News Photographers Association, The Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists, and AP Managing Editors Association.

Ohio University alumni who attended the celebration of life honoring Peterson included photographers Charlie Nye (Class of 1974) and Joe Vitti (Class of 1977) and Susan DeFord (1975-76 editor of the student-run publication The Post).

(L-to-R) Joe Vitti, Susan DeFord and Charlie Nye

Peterson loved cars and auto racing. “The racetrack was his happy place,” one of his children told attendees at the celebration of life.

The memorial program at the March 23 celebration of life featured a quote from race car driver/team owner A.J. Foyt: “Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t accomplish. Believe in yourself and prove them wrong.”