In Memoriam—Peter "Pete" Haug
- Amado Shuck
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
Peter Steffen Haug, born December 3, 1928, passed away at his home in Seattle on November 8, 2025, one month short of his 97th birthday. Grandson of the company’s founder, Peter Manson, Pete Haug was CEO and President of Manson Construction Co. from 1979-1986 and likely the company’s longest-ever employee.
Pete had once said that he hoped to outlive his mother, Gladys Manson Haug Arntzen who lived to be 105! In Pete’s 96th year however, health complications precluded the end of his 80+ year pursuit of the game of golf. The outdoor pass-time, at home and abroad, had no doubt contributed to his long life.
He had crafted an idyllic life where he, along with his beloved wife Pat and others, enjoyed golfing together as often as four times weekly for the better part of 40 years in their shared retirement. Pete and Pat enjoyed spending time with their children, son Jeffrey Manson Haug (1956-1978), and daughter Lisa Francine Haug, each of whom also enjoyed their own careers at Manson.
Born to Swedish mother Gladys and Norwegian father Andrew Haug, Pete grew up together with older brother Irving (wife Vernamelle, daughter Mandy, sons Steffen and Eric), and younger sister Andrea (husband Everett “Pete” Paup, daughter Christina, sons Andrew and Fred).
This tribute is resplendent with names recognizable to Manson folks everywhere, as numerous Manson vessels and equipment bear names from generations of Manson, Haug, Edwards, and Paup family members.
Pete and Pat were married in March of 1953, and soon after that Pete graduated from University of Washington with an Engineering degree.
In his long career at Manson, Pete naturally followed the examples of his predecessors, having become the kind of gentleman and leader his father and grandfather both were; resourceful and experienced, fair and thoughtful, compassionate and generous.
Pete was intensely proud of Manson Construction and especially of the company’s central role in many local civil, commercial, and transportation infrastructure projects, many of which he participated in, playing his own part in performing the work or later supervising.
Pete told stories of the many crewmen and supervisors he had worked with and learned from at Manson through the years, calling each by name; many of whom had made certain to take care of him as a young man, ensuring his safety as well as instilling his tremendous respect for the many craft workers: pile drivers, equipment operators, and tow boatmen alike.
Pete felt his greatest contribution to posterity was his support of the creation of the book Bridging the Generations, the History of Manson Construction Co. with the help of many family members and author Patricia Latourrette Lucas.
In 2019 Pete, then age 90 retired from Manson’s Board of Directors as Chairman Emeritus. The board graciously recognized his unprecedented 75 years of service at Manson gifting Pete an engraved watch.
Pete and Pat moved to Seattle’s Skyline Retirement Community in 2012 but continued to split their time between Seattle and Maui. Pat died in 2021 at age 90. Pete enjoyed four more wonderful winters golfing on Maui with the help and care of family and friends, especially his extraordinary companion and caring assistant, Maria Stobie.
He was an exemplary gentleman, honest and decent, always dapper and well dressed. Pete was friendly and interested to learn about people. He was respectful of others, and the world around him.
Open to trying most anything, he would say enthusiastically, “Why not? What the hell?”
Pete was a philanthropist, creating a memorial fund at Lakeside School in his son’s name, two scholarships with the Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation, and contributing regularly to local charities and causes that mattered to him.
Pete was affectionately known to many as “Daddio.” He loved sports, reading, fishing for salmon at Maplewood, playing bridge, and a good meal with friends and a glass of rosé.
Lisa says, “He was simply the best father imaginable and that has been the greatest gift of all.”
