Charles M. Peterson Jr., age 84, passed away after a long illness on Saturday, September 3, 2022, surrounded by his family. He was born December 9, 1937, in New London, Connecticut, to Charles M. and Emily D. (Way) Peterson. He attended schools in Waterford, Conn., and was a graduate of New London High School in Connecticut. After high school, Charles served in the United States Air Force from 1955 to 1959 and was attached to the Strategic Air Command 40th Bomb Wing at Shilling AFB, Salina, Kansas, and Greenham Common Royal AFB, Newbury, England. He would later become the vice president of the 40th Bomb Wing Association for a couple of years.
Charles attended the University of New Haven in Connecticut, where he studied material engineering. He was also an active member of the United Methodist Church of the Dunes in Grand Haven, Michigan, where he served on the Board of Trustees and Church Council. While living in Florida, he served two years as the president of the Board of Directors at Lakeside Plantation Carriage Homes.
His career began in 1961 as an industrial radiographer at General Dynamics, Electric Boat Division, Navy Nuclear Submarine program in Groton, Conn. Over the years he held managerial positions with various nuclear design engineering, research, manufacturing and construction firms. Following a tenure with Westinghouse Electric Nuclear Division at the Millstone Nuclear Plant Unit III in Waterford, Conn., he joined Northeast Utilities Reliability Engineering Organization, which later became the Northeast Nuclear Energy Company (NEECO) where he was the supervisor of Nondestructive Test Engineering and Inservice Inspection and a senior analyst. During his tenure at NEECO, he was a member of the Electric Power Research Institute serving on the Technical Steering and Quality Assurance committees.
Following retirement from (NEECO), he was employed as a consultant and quality assurance manager with Heery Electric Company, in Saybrook, Conn., on the Amtrak ACELA High-Speed Train Electrification project in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts until 2003.
He was a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA). His passion for tennis led him to (USPTA) professional status in 1990. He graduated from the National Tennis Academy and served as the USPTA New England Convention chairperson for many years. He was later employed as an assistant tennis pro at the Lyme Shores Fitness and Tennis Center in East Lyme, Conn., and director of tennis at Heron Creek Golf and CC in North Port, Florida. He was the head coach of the Old Saybrook High School boys’ tennis team in Connecticut, the North Port High School boys’ and girls’ tennis teams in North Port, Florida, and most recently the head coach for the JV boys tennis team at Grand Haven High School.
Charles enjoyed the outdoors, was an avid fly fisherman and spent many years sailing his sloop rig sailboat. He enjoyed backpacking in the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, the Appalachian Trail in New England, and other trails in Washington and Colorado. He was also a member of the West Michigan Banjo Club where he played the five-string banjo. He was also a proud member of the American Legion Post 28 and Elks Lodge 1200.
Charles will be lovingly missed by his wife, Betsy; sons: Charles (Mary) of Holland, Mich., James (Susan) of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, David of New York, NY, Tory (Holly) of Grand Rapids, Mich.; daughter, Michelle of Chicago, Illinois; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; and his sisters, Lois Sargent and Charlotte Wyatt. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Jerry and Ralph.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11 am Monday, September 12, 2022, at the United Methodist Church of the Dunes, 717 Sheldon Road, Grand Haven, MI 49417. Visitation with the family will be September 11, from 2 to 4 pm at The VanZantwick Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 620 Washington Ave., Grand Haven, MI 49417. Memorial contributions may be directed to Hospice of Holland. Share memories with the family at www.sytsemafh.com.
Published by Grand Haven Tribune on Sep. 5, 2022.
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