KILLINGTON, VT — Joseph James Peterson was a man of many names. Whether you knew him as Jamie, Joe, BBY, Robert, or Bobby, you knew him as a friend.
Jamie was born in Beverly, MA where he grew up surrounded by strong women. He reminisced about his Grandmother frequently who helped raise an incredibly smart, funny, empathetic, and fiercely independent man. Joe and his family moved to Ashland, MA and attended Marian High School and then Framingham State College. He started working behind a bar as a teenager and while he pursued law school, he chose to use his talents to entertain the masses at busy resorts. Joe worked in Park City, UT and at the White Elephant on Nantucket, MA, but Bobby is best known for his years in Killington, VT at the Wobbly Barn, Green Mountain National Golf Course, the Outback, and most recently, the Lookout.
Bobby had deep affection for Killington, not because he enjoyed winter, skiing or riding, but because he found a true home in the town that he affectionately dubbed the “Land of Misfit Toys.” If Killington was a circus, he was the ringleader. He rallied all round for the highs and the lows – golf tournaments, fundraisers, horse races, memorial services, catfish derbies, and a million other adventures. In moments of need, he was always the first call, unless he had called first. Behind the scenes or holding the mic, he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the causes near and dear to his heart – the Upper Valley Community, pets and shelters, kids, and the national organizations doing research to prevent the diseases that afflicted those he loved.
Bobby passed unexpectedly on the evening of Friday, February 12 with his best friend and loved one by his side. Bobby will be missed by all who knew him. He may not have travelled often, but his orbit was vast. Joseph James Peterson meant something different to each person in his life, but we all called him a friend. His love, compassion, and good humor will live on in a million different Bobby stories. When you share them, please remember that our friend would never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lucy MacKenzie Humane Society or Rutland County Humane Society. A celebration of his life will be held when pandemic restrictions allow for an in person gathering.
An on line guest book can be found at cabotfh.com