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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Petersen, Axel J.
Axel J. Petersen, 83, of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, in his home. Services: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church by the Rev. Randy Kasch. Visitation will begin at the church at 12 p.m. until service time. Cedar Memorial Westside Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Suzanne; his children, Pegi (Alex) Anton of Cedar Rapids, Ralph Petersen of Minneapolis, Minn., and Eric (Tracy) Petersen of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren, Andrew Petersen, Thomas Petersen, Katharine Anton, Joseph Petersen, Anna Petersen, and Christian Anton, all of Cedar Rapids; and a sister, Anna Wihrs of Denmark.
His parents preceded him in death.
Axel was born March 19, 1926, in Vejle, Denmark, the son of Ejnar and Jensine Petersen. He married Suzanne Lobdell on Feb. 14, 1959, in Iowa City. Axel was a Sheet Metal Worker for Local #263, where he was secretary and instrumental in getting health care and pension benefits for his fellow workers. He was a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and served in the Army during the Korean War. Axel was very proud of his family and enjoyed attending his grandchildren's activities. Axel radiated positive energy showing his family and friends the best in life.
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Memorials may be made to the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan YMCA in lieu of flowers.
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