Obituaries

Friends Remember Peter Carter at Los Gatos C.B. Hannegan's Wake

More than 50 friends and former colleagues of beloved town resident toast and remember him Monday evening at popular Irish restaurant and pub.

More than 50 friends and colleagues of beloved Los Gatos resident Peter S. Carter gathered at C.B. Hannegan's Monday evening to toast and remember their friend who unexpectedly died March 6 after falling at his home on Broadway. 

The crowd, comprised of former advertising and public relations employees and colleagues, Rotarians, members of the Los Gatos Social Club and others, shared facets of Carter's life—each recounting a funny story or relating how Carter impacted their lives. 

The event was more like a class reunion than a wake with a lot of laughing and a large poster of Carter's smiling face overseeing it all, said longtime friend and former colleague Julie Scopazzi.

While some were partaking in Carter's famous Manhattans, others were adhering to his "Martini Mondays" rule, or toasting his memory with champagne or a pint of beer, said Scopazzi.

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His eldest son, Scott Carter, led the crowd in raising a glass in a toast honoring his late father encouraging everyone to live their lives to the fullest just as his father did, making each day count.

Carter, who turned 70 Feb. 20, is survived by sons Scott and Shawn, his wife Dennise, and four grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Alameda Family Funeral Home.

"He was a pillar of the community in every way," said longtime friend Jonathan Knowles, who served with Carter on the Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Foundation Board of Directors.

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Carter, the co-founder of the Los Gatos Social Club, had lived in Los Gatos for more than 60 years. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

At one point one of the most prominent advertising and public relations gurus in the Bay Area, Carter remained active as a member of the Downtown San Jose Rotary Club. "His reach through his service extended well beyond Los Gatos," Knowles said.

Formal services are planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, April 6 at Mission Church at Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, in Santa Clara, with a reception to follow in Los Gatos, the location has yet to be announced.

There is also a memorial fund set up to build a permanent stage in the Town of Los Gatos Civic Center in his honor. A memorial fund has been established for the project. To contribute, please make checks payable to:

Los Gatos Music & Arts, Peter S. Carter Memorial Fund, 212 Bella Vista Ave., Los Gatos, CA 95030. All Donations are tax deductible under 501(c)(3)non profit guidelines LGM&A EIN #37-1561055.

RELATED COVERAGE:

  • Beloved Los Gatos Resident Peter Carter Dies
  • Remembering Peter Carter: How Do We Keep The Music Playing?
  • Remembering Peter Carter: A Tribute to My Father
  • Remembering Peter Carter: A Great Loss


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