Peter Winston Laake Sr.'s Obituary
Peter Winston Laake, Sr., age 77, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on the morning of June 27, 2026, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, Peter attended Saint Bernadette Catholic School and St. John’s College High School before continuing his education at North Carolina State University and the University of Maryland, where he earned a degree in accounting and went on to pass the CPA exam.
He entered the business world in 1968 selling fire apparatus throughout the region alongside his father, Ed Laake, at the family-owned emergency vehicle dealership, Fire Equipment Supply Company (“FESCO”). Senior was a workaholic for most of his life and earned a sterling reputation within the fire service industry as a fair and honest gentleman whose handshake and word could be trusted.
Fire Equipment Supply would later become FESCO Emergency Sales and today it is a premier fire apparatus and ambulance dealership operating multiple sales & service facilities in the mid-Atlantic region. His son, Pete Laake Jr. is now President of FESCO and his son, Steve, is the Vice President of Operations.
In his early adulthood, Peter stayed active by umpiring local baseball and softball games. Later, he started running to stay fit and eventually completed 17 marathons over the years, as well as many other 5K & 10K races.
He enjoyed watching sports including the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Orioles. He was a season ticket holder for a time at the old Capital Centre for both the Washington Bullets and the Capitals. He loved the challenge of a craps table and made an annual trip to Las Vegas for the NFL Super Bowl with a large group of family & friends.
Peter retired in 2024. Post-retirement, he spent his time with his wife Dana at their retirement beach home in Rehoboth hosting family & friends and enjoying the many local restaurants.
Peter was known for his quick wit and sharp humor that continued to his last days, making the staff at Beebe Medical Center laugh at his jokes.
Peter is survived by his wife Dana Godbout Laake, his wife of 43 years, his sons Pete Jr. (Carron), Steve (Marisa), Rich Godbout (Julie), and Greg Godbout (Colleen). Peter is also survived by his seven grandchildren: Ella, Peter III, Kit, Sammi, Skylar, Brody, & Melody.
The family is planning a private burial at Gates of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, MD. There will be a Celebration of Life, tentatively set for 1-4pm on Sunday, July 26th at Strathmore Hall in Bethesda near his prior home in Kensington, MD.
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