Peter Francis Neurath, the son of Hans and Hilde Neurath, was born in 1942, in Durham, North Carolina, where Hans served as professor of biochemistry at Duke University. In 1950, Peter moved with his parents to Seattle, where Hans chaired the newly formed Biochemistry Department in the University of Washington's Medical School.
Although Hans was ethnically Jewish, Hilde nominally Lutheran, and Peter was baptized Lutheran, neither Peter nor Hans nor Hilde cared anything whatsoever about organized, dogmatic religion.
In Seattle, the Neurath family lived in Laurelhurst and belonged to the Laurelhurst Beach Club--even though during the 1950s Jews were not allowed to join. Perhaps it was recognized that the Neurath family was in no way religious.
In 1960, Peter graduated from Lakeside School, and in 1964 from Pomona College, with a B.A. in philosophy. After earning an M.A. in history from the UW in 1964, Peter taught high school history for three years. And then, after earning an M.Ed. in counseling from the UW, he worked as a high school counselor for two years.
Subsequently, Peter drifted into journalism, and after earning a master's in public administration from the UW in 1980, he wrote business news for the Puget Sound Business Journal for 30 years. "I never went on for a Ph.D.," he says, "because nothing really grabbed my interest, and my memory, a sieve, has always been the weakest part of my brain."
Mike Flynn, the former editor and first publisher of the Business Journal, fondly remembers the hour-long conversations he had daily with Peter. He praised Peter’s objective writing without preconceived notions.
"Peter was a highly dedicated professional, in the office never later than 7 a.m., and to a large degree responsible for the image of integrity and quality characteristic of the journal. Peter was highly respected as a journalist; people trusted him. They felt comfortable around him, trusted the outcome, and were therefore willing to talk, to discuss issues. Peter is very personable and trustworthy; he is caring and honest. And at the same time uncomfortable with self-promotion. He is a very intellectual person, committed to learn, wanting to know as much about a subject matter as there is to know."
Rick Cooper, Northwest Regional Market Director at Everett Clinic recalls Peter as “the best damn reporter in Puget Sound."
Peter remained active throughout his life. Always athletic, he continued to work out and walk daily, and he had taken up dancing as his final sport. "Life is movement," he said, "and I will continue to move until I die, in good part to combat depression, which has hounded me all my life."
Peter Neurath died June 6, 2021. He will be missed.
Here are the links to the obituary in The Seattle Times and the history of the The Bial-Neurath family.
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