Carl H. Petersen

Carl Harold Petersen, 79, passed away peacefully in his sleep, at his residence, on Sunday, November 3, 2024, following a courageous battle with AL Amyloidosis. Born in Racine, WI, on October 21, 1945, to Harold and Ann (nee: Kralicek) Petersen, Carl was a dedicated family man, veteran, and friend.

He graduated from St. Catherine’s High School in 1963 and served proudly in the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1968, achieving the rank of Sergeant in the Air Police, stationed in Alaska and South Korea. While attending UW-Parkside, Carl met Nancy C. Ivanoski, who would become the love of his life. They married on April 24, 1971, beginning a 53-year journey filled with love, laughter, and shared dreams. Together, they raised two sons, Mark and Darrell.

Carl worked at S.C. Johnson for 37 years, retiring in 2010. A member of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, he was known for his kindness, humor, and love of family and friends. An avid sports fan, Carl enjoyed golf, watching the 49ers, Badgers, and Brewers, and took great pride in visiting 29 major league ballparks. He also enjoyed movies, TV, theater, reading, trivia, and time spent playing cards and games with loved ones.

Travel was one of Carl’s greatest joys, taking him and Nancy to nearly all 50 states—missing only Alaska. They especially loved San Francisco, New York City, and Chicago and enjoyed memorable cruises to destinations in the South Pacific, Panama Canal, Caribbean, and Mexico. Carl’s warmth and humor were constants in his life and will be missed by all who knew him.

Carl is survived by his wife, Nancy; his sons, Mark (Monica) and Darrell; and friends he considered family: Robert Fucilla and Patty Georges, Sue Quirk, Denise Keller, Dan Stanton, Maria Tarsia, Anna Williams, Jan Williams, Mike Maurer, Jeremy Fidler, and their families. He also leaves behind his beloved “grand” cat, Cindy Lu. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Ann Petersen and his sister, Carol Petersen.

A Memorial Mass followed by full military honors will be held at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 6400 Spring St., on December 7th, with Reverend William Dietzler and Deacon Keith Hansen officiating. Family and friends are invited to gather from 10:00 a.m. until the Mass at 11:00 a.m. A private interment will take place at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Dover, WI.

The service will be livestreamed and may be viewed https://www.facebook.com/meredithfuneralhome/

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to H.O.P.E. Safehouse (1234 Lathrop Ave., Racine, WI 53405), Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin (1624 Yout St., Racine, WI 53404) or The Amyloidosis Consortium (320 Nevada St., Newton, MA 02460).

The family extends their gratitude to Dr. Mark DeCheck and staff and Dr. Choi and the staff at Ascension Cancer Center for their compassionate care and support.