Edwin A. Peterson, 85, of Venice, Fla., passed away Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, after a brief illness.

He was born Feb. 21, 1927, in New York, N.Y., and he was the only child of Edvin and Kerstin Peterson of Queens, N.Y.

Edwin served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. He married Joan Schaffner June 16, 1951. They were happily married for over 61 years. Ed “Pete” was devoted to his family, and above all to his wife, Joan. He was the chief mechanical engineer for United Parcel Service at their headquarters in New York. Edwin’s patented engineering designs for automated sorting and handling revolutionized the speed and efficiency of package handling for UPS through the 1960s and 1970s. He had a great love of the water and sailing. They were members of the Sea Cliff Yacht Club on Long Island, N.Y. In 1979, he retired from UPS and they moved to Manasota Key in Englewood, Fla. Pete and Joan enjoyed traveling and visited many far-off corners of the world. They continued to enjoy sailing and were members of the Venice Sailing Squadron. Pete and Joan were long-time members of the Englewood United Methodist Church where they participated in the church choir, bell choir, and the church board. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, the Boy Scouts, Meals-on-Wheels, and the Manasota Key Turtle Patrol.

Edwin’s beloved wife, Joan, survived him by three days. He is survived by their children, Kim Peterson-Yantorno and her husband, Bob Yantorno of Edgartown, Mass., and Englewood, Jill Harrison and her husband, Ray of Hygiene, Colo., and Mark Peterson and his wife, Linda of Riverview, Fla.; grandchildren, Matthew Hewitt and his wife, Becky of Portland, Ore., Kerstin Benson and her husband, Jon of Westminster, Colo., Joan Harrison of Hygiene, David Peterson and Samantha Peterson of Riverview; and a great-grandchild, James Hewitt of Portland.

A memorial service for both Edwin and Joan will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, at the Englewood United Methodist Church, 700 E. Dearborn St., Englewood, FL 34223. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Englewood United Methodist Church. Please visit www.kays-ponger.com.

Arrangements are by Kays-Ponger and Uselton Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Venice.