Raymond Petersen

Anchorage resident Raymond Ingvard Petersen, 96, died of natural causes Aug. 12, 2008, at home.
A funeral will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Holy Family Cathedral, with visitation beginning at 3 p.m. Deacon Felix M. Maguire will officiate. A reception will be afterward.
Pallbearers will include Bill Hately, Richard Ardaiz, Victor Fondy, Richard Reeve and Reinhold Thiele.
Ray was born Aug. 10, 1912, in York, Neb., to John and Rose Marie (Becker) Petersen. He spent his youth in Wyoming and had many stories and fond memories of life on the ranches there.
When he was a teenager, his family moved to Chicago, where he dropped out of school in 10th grade to work and learn to fly. As he told it, he was working in a hay field on a hot summer day when a biplane landed, and the farmer worked out a deal with the pilot that included giving "the kid," Ray, a ride.
Ray always said, "It was so hot down on the ground and so cool up in that plane, I decided then I was going to learn to fly."
Ray joined a flying club and became a pilot. He was working in a pinball factory, and his boss and friend offered him a good job managing one of his factories. Ray said, "No, Joe. If I take this job, I will never leave Chicago. I hear you can make a living flying in Alaska, and I am going."
Ray left for Alaska, spending a year in Bellingham, Wash., before boarding the steamship Victoria in Seattle. He arrived in Seward on April 1, 1934.
Ray had lined up flying jobs in Anchorage before he had been there a week. He flew prospectors and trappers that first spring and summer, also doing a little prospecting and trapping himself.
By the end of September, he had a full-time flying job with Star Air Service (predecessor of Alaska Airlines). He wrote home to "Pa" and "Ma" on Sept. 28, 1934: "Don't think there is any danger of getting hurt. This business of knocking off landing gear and tearing wings off happens every day, but no one gets hurt. It's like denting the fenders of an automobile, only more expensive."
He went on to decide that if he might be killed, he might as well be working for himself, his family said.
Ray formed Bethel Airways and then Ray Petersen Flying Service, flying the lower Yukon and Kuskokwim River delta.
He went through a number of mergers until he was president of Wien Air Alaska, covering the entire state. In 1950, he also opened five fishing lodges on the Alaska Peninsula that are still operated today by his son, Ray "Sonny" Petersen.
Ray met Marie Antoinette "Toni" Schodde in Anchorage, and they were married in January 1939.
Ray's other interests included Boy Scouts of America; he became president of the Western Council of Boy Scouts. He was a member of the distinguished aviation club the Conquistadores Del Cielo, a lifetime member of the Skal club, and a member of the OX5 club, among others.
His family wrote that Ray's enthusiasm, love of family and friends, dedication to his employees and honesty will continue to be an inspiration to his family.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Rose Marie and Fred Pierce of Aptos, Calif.; son and daughter-in-law, Charles "Chuck" and Carol Petersen of San Diego; daughter, Susan Petersen of Helena, Mont.; son and daughter-in-law, Raymond "Sonny" and Mariann Petersen of Anchorage; 12 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Donations may be sent to the Aviation Heritage Museum, 4721 Aircraft Drive, Anchorage 99502.
Friends may send condolences to 4720 Sportsman Drive, Anchorage 99502.