Marius Petersen

Marius Stenfeldt (Hank) Petersen, 95, of Hilliard, Ohio, passed away on May 23, 2023, due to complications from surgery.

Hank was born in Tower, Minnesota to Marius and Emma (Fredrickson) Petersen on April 30, 1928. He graduated from Tower-Soudan High School, where he was a member of the football and basketball teams, as well as the band and orchestra. He was also awarded the class's American Legion Award in recognition of his academic and athletic achievements and community service.

Hank served two tours of duty, both in Korea. Lacking funds for college admission, he had initially volunteered to enlist right out of high school but was rejected due to poor eyesight. Not to be deterred, with the G.I bill and college on his mind, he then volunteered to be drafted and memorized enough of the eye chart to pass his second physical. The first tour was during peace time with the Headquarters Battery of the 7th Division Artillery in Seoul. Upon being discharged he returned home and began his college education. In June of 1950, the Korean conflict began to heat up and Hank was re-drafted and assigned to the 936th Field Artillery Battalion. The battalion engaged in extensive combat supporting infantry units, and he was awarded the Korean Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars plus battle streamers for 6 campaigns conducted during the war. In November of 1951 Hank was discharged and resumed his education, graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Mining Engineering in 1952.

After graduation, he married Connie West on August 29, 1953 in Tower. Hank and his bride moved to Columbus, Ohio where he started a new job as a trainee for the Jeffrey Manufacturing Company. He worked for Jeffrey in various sales and product management positions dealing with solid waste disposal and environmental control systems for his entire professional career. He retired on his birthday in 1992.

Hank and Connie raised their family in Columbus, and he was an active and enthusiastic supporter of all his 4 children's numerous activities. Although they left the Iron Range of northern Minnesota, the couple routinely made trips back to Lake Vermilion, where they loved to vacation with kids and grandkids, often attending the 4th of July celebration in Tower and always fishing for walleye at their favorite spots.

In 1979, Hank was transferred to Greenville, SC by his employer, the Jeffrey Division of Dresser Industries, where the weather better enabled them to pursue their favorite past time of fishing, especially the fall "blue" run at Murrells Inlet, SC. In retirement, Hank and Connie travelled throughout the United States and Canada, visiting family, and focusing on the national parks out west. His other hobbies included vegetable gardening, golfing, and cooking (especially on the grill). They were together for 63 years until her passing in 2017. After Connie's death, Hank moved back to the Columbus area, where he lived his remaining years near family.

Hank is preceded in death by his wife Connie, his parents, (sisters) Maren Petersen & Enid Nelson, and daughter, Adrienne Stapanian.

He is survived by daughter Cathy (David) Schilling, sons Scott (Becky) Petersen and Mark Petersen, and grandchildren Morgan Petersen, Erik (Linda) Schilling, Alex Schilling, Kevin Stapanian, and Allison Mashburn, great grandson Graham Schilling, a niece, and several nephews.

Hank did not want a funeral service but requested that his ashes be scattered in Lake Vermilion, in the same spots as those of his beloved wife.