Marshall Peterson

Marshall Peterson, of Wadsworth, Ohio, passed away peacefully on November 22nd, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in 1929 in Marinette Wisconsin and grew up on the fringes of "Swede town" in nearby Peshtigo - a hard-working town in the northern reaches of Wisconsin. It's a melting pot of immigrants, his father, born in Sweden and having "come over on the boat" being one of them. The town center is divided by the flow of the Peshtigo River and it's the same river that ran by his childhood home that sat on its banks. This is where Marshall learned to appreciate the beauty of nature and where he also earned the value of a hard day's work. His home, a mini farm, is where he chopped wood with his father, learned how to pluck and butcher a turkey and where early mornings were spent milking the family cow. These experiences shaped a life full of curiosity and achievement, and where his young work ethic prepared him for facing the world ahead.

In his boyhood he "hung out" with a cadre of older boys, including his older brother Maurice. Marshall was the youngest of the group by many years but somehow "made the cut" thanks to brother Maurice. Their innocent antics were often a springboard of his fascinating stories, and Marshall loved to tell a good story! It was a stage of exploration for him, way before the lure of a television or cell phone. He found entertainment in spotting large Muskies in the river or catching smelt. But as fond as his tales were, they always included the everlasting influence of the Depression.

One of his first paying jobs was "setting pins" at the local bowling alley where he was paid by the pin. Then, once old enough, he worked at the local paper mill, a rite of passage in Peshtigo.

Marshall was a self-anointed "Depression child" and its influence carried on throughout his life. Those days taught him the value of the dollar, how to live with simplicity and to recycle every chance he could. He'd sadly recount how his father lost his hardware business due to the Depression and moved to Milwaukee to find work and send money back home. At the same time Marshall's brother Maurice was serving in WW2. These changes shifted Marshall into being the man of the house where he dutifully stayed home and helped his mother. In time, the burden of the Depression forced the sale of his favorite home on the river and the family moved into town. Those days taught him to be resilient; to plow forward and they shaped him for the rest of his life.

Marshall, better known as "Pete" to many, was a natural leader. This became evident in his scholastic and athletic achievements. He graduated from Peshtigo High School in 1947 as Class President where he earned numerous academic and athletic honors, playing on both the Football and Basketball team.

Marshall continued his education at the University of Wisconsin. In 1952 he received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry followed by earning his master's in chemistry in 1953. His early career began as a Research Chemist at Ray-O-Vac Battery Company. It's where his love of science and innovation merged.

Duty called, and from 1953 to1955, he served proudly in the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a Soldier-Scientist. His work included directing critical field test teams in Fort Churchill Canada and Yuma, Arizona. His military service reflected the same dedication and discipline that shaped the rest of his life.

Shortly after being honorably discharged, he worked for Ray-O-Vac Battery and its subsidiaries and worked in their Mexico City plant as a Quality Control Chemist. Somewhere during this time he got the bug in learning how to fly and obtained his pilot's license in 1957.

In 1959, Marshall, now fully established in his scientific career, took an important business trip to England that forever changed his life. It's where on a chance blind date he met his future love, Joan Delamare. Within a few short months and some air mail letters going back and forth, she was his English bride. They married in San Juan, Puerto Rico and took up residence in a small apartment in Montclair, New Jersey.

His professional career continued to flourish. He spent decades in the Scientific Instrumentation Industry, collaborating with companies across England, Switzerland, and Denmark. He served as President of two companies and then created his own consulting business in 1977.

His executive life was very involved in civic and professional organizations. He served as Past President of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Marketing Association, participated in SAMA, the Cleveland and Lorain Sales & Marketing Executives Association, Rotary, Bay Men's Club and the West Shore Senior Golf League.

Spiritually, he found a lifelong home within the Unitarian Universalist faith that began in Montclair, New Jersey in 1963. When the family moved to Ohio he became an active member of Westshore Unitarian Universalist Church in Rocky River, Ohio. There, he served as President of the Board of Trustees from 1993-94.

Marshall was always eager to learn, explore, and master new tools. He embraced technology long before many others, beginning with an Apple II+ in the 1980s and he continued with every upgrade. This culminated in his recent conversions in using an Ipad, Iphone and a laptop. His texting became the norm.

His hobbies mainly reflected his love of sports: swimming, tennis and golf but he especially loved photography. One major project involved scanning and restoring over 2,000 family slides to save their precious memories. But the most important work of his life was helping Joan assemble her Memoires Book. Joan captured her years of working for the US Army in England. It was her call to a "Work of National Importance." At home, the Memoires book was always within reach, and he proudly showed it to everyone.

Marshall, a devoted husband to Joan, became her full-time caretaker when her Alzheimer's progressed in her later years. It's when his early lessons of being strong and resilient circled back and helped him "keep calm and carry on." Marshall lost his dear Joanie in 2022.

He remained a student his entire life and dutifully kept current with the news by reading his weekly Time magazine with a copy of the US Constitution always sitting nearby. We have fond memories of him in his later years taking a ride in a hot air balloon. He even took flight in a glider and piloted it! His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the memories he preserved, and the great stories he told. Marshall will also be remembered for his kindness, humility, and witty humor.

Preceded in death were his parents, Albin Peterson & LaVerne Peterson, Brother Maurice Peterson, Sister-in-law Pauline Talbot, Sister-in-law Dorothy Peterson and Nephew Gerard Talbot.

Marshall was the loving father to Janine Peterson-Black (Dennis) of Wadsworth OH, and son Harvey (Lisa Pim) of Lakewood, OH. Grandfather of Alexander Delamare Peterson and Jana Pim Peterson, Lakewood, OH. Nephews Jon Peterson (Becky) of Bellingham, WA, Tom Peterson (Karen) of Bremen, OH, Niece Geri-Lynn Jamieson (Duffy) Columbus, OH. Great Nephews Jake Peterson, Frank Peterson, and Great Niece Kelly Peterson all of Columbus, OH. He had close friends far and wide, many of whom he stayed in contact with throughout the years, even those stretching back to his paper mill town. He left his beloved lap cat Sonny who is now on a new journey and being cared for.

We thank the many friends and relatives that helped him throughout his years. Special thanks to his friend Judy along with the team of aides and nurses from The Hospice of The Western Reserve.

In his memory, care for someone in need, help feed a family, adopt a pet - and of course, feed the birds!

And we'll close with one of his favorite sayings, "Go Browns!"

A service is being planned for the future.