William Albert Peterson

Accomplished CalTech grad William “Bill” Peterson passes at age 94.

Bill Peterson, born August 13, 1931, in Los Angeles, CA passed away of natural causes on Nov 5, 2025.  Bill played an integral role in the original construction of Disney World in Orlando, FL.  He reported directly to Walt Disney and his brother during its original development which included creating and developing the picturesque Seven Seas Lagoon from swampland and all the original infrastructure for the original park and 2 hotels; The Contemporary, and The Polynesian as well as Fort Wilderness which was original to the park.  When asked the nature of his responsibilities to the Disney’s, he was to make sure all that he oversaw was “Disney Level”.  

Bill grew up on Nella Vista Rd in the Los Feliz area of Hollywood, CA where he excelled in school and had a paper route peddling up the Los Feliz hills on a one-speed bike during WWII.  He also led a swing band where he played and wrote arrangements.  They were written up in local papers as a swing band but with a “lot of edge” and how they were great at getting people out on the dance floor.  His band, which had people from their teens into their early thirties, played Elizabeth Taylor’s sweet 16 birthday party.   

He was the son of William S “Pete” Peterson and Cornelia Walker Peterson.  Pete served Los Angeles and Southern California at the highest levels of the L.A. Department of Water and Power (DWP) as well as the Metropolitan Water District (MWD).  His father was integral to the water and power story of LA and much of Southern California that made LA a boomtown.  Bill, after graduating from Caltech with his master’s in civil engineering built on the Peterson family legacy with his worldwide contributions for industry, trade, and public health, helping millions of people.

After finishing at Caltech, Bill first worked as a civil engineer in California, he soon moved to Florida to work for Hollywood, Inc. where he eventually became the City Engineer.   After that he opened a satellite office for James M Montgomery Engineers.  It was there he landed the Disney Project.  After completion of that he went overseas to head up the 7-Cities project in Indonesia.   This project was to set up water and sewer systems in seven major cities around the country that had incredibly inadequate water and sewer infrastructure.  Many people in the 70s in these cities had to use rivers for any and every water use.   This project was critical to health and safety of millions of people.  

When Bill returned to the States he came back to California.  Where he worked for The Jack Raub Company.  They were tasked with infrastructure for the cities of Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo.  There he was integral in negotiating with the then California Coastal Commission to build 5,000 homes in the area.   When he was done, there was an agreement to build over 15,000.  Aliso Viejo stands as one of Orange County’s most vibrant communities today.

But the bug of travel and working worldwide was still there.  So, Bill joined the Parsons Company of Pasadena, CA and was appointed project manager for a civil engineering project in Saudi Arabia called The Yanbu project.   This project was a crown jewel for the Saudi Government and The Royal Family.  It was a state-of-the-art modern city with a new deep-water port and one of the world’s largest de-salination plants.  There was little more than sand there when they started.  Bill received a silver and a bronze medal from the Royal Family for his efforts there.  But even after all this time he never lost his passion for music.   He once again, during this time in Saudi Arabia, conducted a swing band of international musicians while he was there.  They also did orchestra for plays.   And while he was at it, he might have made a little wine in his attic while he was there. 

Upon returning to America, he had one last prestigious project that he said was one of his favorites. It was the restoration of The Huntington Library in Pasadena. Toward the end of that project and the beginning of his retirement, he finally reconnected with his high-school sweetheart Joan.  They remained married and in love till their respective passing. 

Bill loved music, of course music but also enjoyed skiing, golf, and racquetball. And of course, travel.  He visited all 7 continents.

He had an eventful and full life.    He will be missed, and he is appreciated in many ways by many people.

He is survived by his 5 children Will, John, Steve, Karyn, and Kim, 11 Grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren.