Ronald Peterson

A LIFE WELL LIVED
Ronald Peterson passed peacefully at home on November 14, 2025. Remembered as a tough marine, a devoted husband, and a loyal friend, Ron's early life was a lesson in resilience that would serve him well throughout his 90 years.
Born in Peekskill, New York on June 8, 1935, Ron's young, single mother Annie Peterson died when he was just 10 years old. Already seminal figures in young Ron's life, his maternal grandparents Daisy and Percy Peterson then took on the task of raising him along with his two aunts who lived in New York and South Carolina. When asked about his childhood, Ron would recall his mother's seemingly long illness, his grandfather teaching him to fish and ride a bike, his grandmother's determination to raise him in the Catholic faith, summer visits with his aunt's family in South Carolina, and the special bond he shared with his Aunt Becky who lived in Peekskill nearby.
At age 17, Ron found himself at a crossroads with the passing of his grandfather. Not wanting to be a burden to others, Ron joined the Marines with a friend and the teens were shipped overseas to fight in the Korean War. There, Ron's mettle was tested time and again. His friend was killed in combat just two months into their tour, and Ron spoke openly of the bitter cold and the harrowing trench warfare that he endured during his deployment, which sent him not only to Korea but also to the Philippines and Japan.
Being a Marine and wartime solider were defining elements of Ron's identity, and he carried them with him throughout his life, as evidenced by his membership in the Marines Fife and Drum Corps band. On the advice of a commanding officer, Ron completed his military duty at age 21, returned to the States, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Ron immediately found employment as a chemist with The Mearl Corporation (later to become the Engelhard Corporation) in Peekskill, which manufactured pigment and film for use in cosmetics, plastics, and automotive finishes. He would work there until a major stroke forced his retirement in 1992. Conveniently located in his hometown, Ron would often stop for morning coffee with Aunt Becky on his way to work.
Despite his dashing good looks, Ron had never dated when he was introduced to Camilla Booth, a native of Baltimore, at a New Year's Eve party in 1958. He struck up a conversation with Camilla, an English teacher who had just earned her master degree from Columbia University, asking her if she knew the music of singer Mario Lanza. Upon learning she was a fan, Ron was smitten - and remained so for the rest of his life.
Their union was one for the ages! The two married on August 13, 1960 and settled in Yorktown Heights. They would remain there until retirement, when they moved to Baltimore to care for Camilla's elderly mother Annis Booth, who loved Ron like a son.
Among the activities Ron loved most were watching airplanes take off and land. He spent hours parked at Baltimore Washington International Airport, close enough to the runways to feel wind from the turbines rush through his thick, curly hair. Like the postman, neither rain nor wind nor sleet nor hail could keep Ron, a physical fitness devotee, from running the hill where he lived on Nicholas Lane. Well into his 70s, Ron continued to play with the Fife and Drum Corps, marching in parades in Boston and New York. He never missed the chance to attend an Army/Navy football game, watch the Blue Angels do a flyover, go fishing, or play the slots at the Atlantic City casinos.
Shy by nature Ron always kept his social circle relatively small, yet his shared interests in military history, tennis, music, and more built strong bonds between him and those who were fortunate enough to call him their friend. Many of life's milestones were spent with Yorktown neighbors Dick and Kay Schmalz; Ron enjoyed a telephone conversation with Kay just one week before his passing. It was on a 1981 trip to Belgium to see Camilla's beloved cousins William "Smitty" and Frances Smith when the Petersons first met Russell "Duck" Ducksworth and Nirmala "Nimi" Bhagawann. Back in Baltimore, the couple were beloved by their neighbors, too -- including the neighborhood kids who were delighted by a one-time fife and drum performance by Ron. And then there was Wayne Fanzone, one among a handful of friends in Ron's "guys'
group" who bonded at the gym over their dedication to physical fitness and met every week for breakfast at the Iron Rooster restaurant near Ron's home in Maryland.
During the last years of Ron's life, his friends continued to show him the same love and dedication he had always shown to them, especially after Camilla's passing in 2020. Without children of his own or family to shepherd him through the ravages of time, Duck and Nimi took Ron into their home where he was bathed in compassion and care. They made sure Ron's interests were still fed, with trips to Gettysburg, West Point, Antietam, and more.
While Ron had always loved animals, he found special comfort in Nimi's cat Sunny. Russell would keep protective watch over Ron when Nimi left for work, and Ron would ask each morning before she left the house, "When will you be home?"
In Ron's final days, when a lifetime of athleticism could no longer stave off Ron's long fight against congestive heart failure, Nimi indulged Ron's love of sweet treats by bringing him cookies and also his favorite German beer. Ron shared his final wishes to be "buried with the soldiers," and so he will be laid to rest with military honors at the Delaware Memorial Veterans Cemetery, escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders.
Funeral services will be held 11:00am, Monday December 1st, 2025, at Torbert Funeral Chapel, 1145 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, Delaware. Friends and family may gather one hour prior.
Burial will be held at 1:00pm, Monday December 1st, 2025, at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear Delaware.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, Delaware.