Obituary of Mark A. Peterschmidt

Mark A. Peterschmidt (age 76) died of cancer at his home in Alexandria, Virginia on April 4, 2012. He was born in Fort Madison, Iowa on April 30, 1935. He graduated from Catholic Central High School in Fort Madison, briefly attended St. Thomas College in St. Paul Minnesota and then served for three years in the Marine Corps. In 1961 he graduated from the University of Iowa majoring in political science and journalism and went on to become a photojournalist at the Marshalltown (Iowa) Times-Republican and the Miami Herald. During his time at the Miami Herald he won numerous photography awards sponsored by the National Press Photographers Association. One such award was titled Curses, Foiled Again that won in Category X in the 22nd Annual Pictures of the Year Competition, 1965. He worked in public relations for the United Way in Miami, Cincinnati, Washington, DC and United Way of America corporate office in Alexandria, Virginia. Following that he became Development Director for Charities USA (formerly the National Conference of Catholic Charities). In 1981 and for the next 15 years Mark was the President and owner of a computer sales and service company, Micro Brokers, Inc. in Arlington, Virginia. He relocated to Wakefield, MA in 1996 to become a Network Systems Administrator in IT Systems Services at Textron Systems, an information technology company. Upon his retirement in 2002 he relocated to Alexandria, VA. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and served on the development committee of the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Arlington, Virginia in 2008. Mark, with his wife of 30 years, Monica Megivern, served as a mentor couple for engaged couples at St. Charles for three years until he was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. Survivors include his wife Monica Megivern of Alexandria; his ex-wife Joan Schmitz and six children from that marriage; Monica Peterschmidt Ettinger and son-in-law, Peter Ettinger of Takoma Park, Molly O’Boyle and son-in-law Patrick O’Boyle of Reston, Virginia, Amy Peterschmidt of Baltimore, Maryland, Nora Honken and son-in-law, Jeff Honken of Crestwood, Kentucky, son, Matthew Peterschmidt and daughter-in-law, Katie and son, Luke and daughter-in-law, Lynnette of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, two sisters, (Vera) Bee Fredrick of Scottsdale, Arizona, Anne Marry of Clifton, Illinois and two brothers, Glen of Los Gatos, California and Vern of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mark had ten grandchildren, Brady and Claire Ettinger, Dorothy and Bridget O’Boyle, Thomas and Nathanial Honken, Lilianne and James Peterschmidt and Rose and Kara Peterschmidt. The Memorial Service will take place on Friday, April 27, 6:30-8:30pm at the Overlook Development Club House, 5315 Bird’s View Lane, Alexandria, VA 22312 and the Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11am on Saturday, April 28 at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Arlington, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in the name of Mark Peterschmidt to Catholic Charities of the Arlington Diocese. The address to send donations to Catholic Charities is: P.O. Box 1900, Merrifield, VA, 22116-1900 or Capital Caring Hospice.