A. M. (“Pete”) Peterson, 1925-2018

Savannah, Georgia, 24 November 2018

No mourning for Pete Peterson, who died of prostate cancer at age 93. He lived longer than ever dreamed, and was extraordinarily lucky with good health and life’s travails. He had a happy childhood, despite the Great Depression, with loving parents, who selflessly raised him to be independent, and many childless, spoiling aunts and uncles. Born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, he had the great privilege of attending The Hill School, survived a grueling WWII European combat infantry tour, discharged as a 1st Sgt., had a GI Bill education at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and spent three college summers as a bicycle tour leader in Europe. From college he joined the International Division of SKF (now Glaxo SmithKline, GSK) After being recalled for the Korean conflict, and receiving a direct commission, he spent four years with SKF in Montreal, later became US national sales manager and retired as VP of Admin and Finance. Then followed service as five state Region 3 Director of the US Small Business Administration and finally as a principal of Medicon, a health care consulting firm. Once proud of the pharmaceutical industry, he was greatly disheartened later by its corruption and greed (his cancer medication was $13,000 per month!)

At 29, he fell head over heels for Joan Van Iderstine, his wife of 54 years (deceased). After 28 years in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, he actually did retire and they moved to The Landings in Savannah, Georgia, a state he vowed never to revisit after basic training at Ft. Benning. They became enthralled with Savannah and the low country, enjoyed a vigorous life of tennis, golf, gardening, boating and serious volunteering. They embraced the City, and assiduously traveled the world, all 50 states and the Canadian provinces. Pete’s hobby was cooking and candy making and for more than 50 years, friends, and generations of children looked forward to Christmas Open House (enjoying the sweets and sneaking the spiked egg nog with ice-cream). Pete was known on Skidaway as “the guy on the bicycle”, having logged well over a hundred thousand miles on Landings roads and paths, greeting wavers, honkers and the occasional finger, and as the “cookie man” from his weekly visits to the Marshes health facility, dispensing cheer and cookies.

Pete was very proud of and loved his family. He is survived by his son K. M. (Kris) and wife Jan Aceti, Brookline, Mass., son Dirk, Seattle, Washington, cousin Anne Embody, Savannah, nephews Andrew and Lily Renzetti, Titusville, Florida, Peter and Annie Renzetti, Clayton, Delaware, and devoted partner and fellow traveler, Marshes resident Joan Ross, friend of more than 30 years, and her loving family, Jan Ross, Asheville, North Carolina and Lynn and Richard Rubenoff, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Reception and Celebration

While there will be no funeral, friends and Marshes staff are invited to a Celebration of Life and to lift a glass and bid adieu at a casual gathering at the Island Club at the Marshes of Skidaway Island, Saturday, December 8, 2018, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Remembrances

Any memorials to a charity of choice, Hospice Savannah, Inc. or Planned Parenthood.