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 Arthur E. Peltosalo
June 07, 2002
Arthur Everitt Peltosalo, 80, of Gibson Island, Md., a former resident of Pittsfield, died Friday at home after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer. He was a former GE vice president and head of its power delivery group, which included the distribution and power transformer divisions in Pittsfield.
Born in Hartford, Conn., on May 2, 1922, son of Arthur E. and Elsa Wallenius Peltosalo, he grew up in Springfield and Pittsfield, where he was a 1940 graduate of Pittsfield High School. He graduated as salutatorian with a degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University in 1943. He earned numerous academic awards and was a member of several fraternities, including Phi Delta Theta. He also took graduate engineering courses at Harvard and Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute.
An Army Aviation Corps veteran of World War II, he was a forward air controller for the field artillery, serving as a first lieutenant.
He was first employed by GE in 1946 in Pittsfield as a junior engineer and later on the research staff of the high-voltage engineering laboratory. He served in management positions in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, N.Y., then transferred as general manager of GE's factory in Columbia, S.C., which made electrical components for the Minuteman missile.
He also managed factories in Baltimore and Fitchburg, Mass. After working in the marketing division of GE's New York headquarters, he was transferred to Paris as head of the company's worldwide computer manufacturing and time-sharing operations, and promoted to vice president.
After his return to the United States, he oversaw GE Information Services in Bethesda, Md., for two years before returning to GE headquarters in 1971 as group executive of the company's nine operating units. He retired in 1979 after almost 34 years of service. He then served as chairman of the board of Tesdata Inc. in McLean, Va., for two years.
He enjoyed tennis, golfing, traveling, stamp collecting and boating. He was active with many civic and charitible boards.
He and his first wife, Diane Donovan, were divorced.
He leaves his wife of 38 years, the former Lavinia Lyles; two sons, Arthur E. Peltosalo of Annapolis, Md., and Charles G. Peltosalo of Riva, Md.; two stepsons, Robert E. Seibels and Edwin G. Seibels, both of Columbia; a daughter, Andrea L. Peltosalo of Portland, Ore., a stepdaughter, Lavinia Seibels of Atlanta, and six grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held on Gibson Island and in South Carolina. The family requests that in lieu of flowers contributions be made generously and joyously in Mr. Peltosalo's memory to the charity of the donor's choice.
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