Leifur G. Petursson
March 21, 1934 – June 30, 2024
Leifur G. “Pete” Petursson, of Sun City Center, Florida, and, formerly, Northern Virginia, passed away on Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Catlett, Virginia, surrounded by his loving family and his two beloved dogs.
Leifur was born March 21, 1934, in Copenhagen, Denmark, as Leifur G. Haslund. He and his younger siblings moved to Iceland in 1947 where his last name was changed to Petursson due to Icelandic name laws that still exist today. It is in Iceland where he would meet his future wife, Elsa. Married in 1960, Leif and Elsa immigrated to New York in 1961. Leifur moved to Virginia in 1973, buying a house in Arlington, VA, and raised his family with Elsa.
A man of many talents, he had worked as a machinist, bus driver, mechanic, business owner, big rig driving instructor; taught diesel mechanics; and was a shop foreman for many years. In his private life, he loved his remote-control airplanes, motorcycles, music, karaoke, playing the organ and, of course, RV’s, which became his great passion for many years. In retirement, he traveled the US and Canada, making friends at every stop.
After a few years as a snowbird, spending winters in Florida and the rest of the year in Northern Virginia, Leif and Elsa found their retirement paradise in Sun City Center in 2010. As the unofficial mayor of the neighborhood golf course/dog park, Leif knew everyone and their dogs; they gathered every afternoon to let their dogs play. He started going to the gym in his 70s and was a fixture at Monday night Bingo. He retired as a captain of the Sun City Center Security Patrol. Retiring to this community was one of the best decisions he ever made, he liked to say.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Elsa; son, Peter; daughter, Christine; daughter-in-law, Barbara; grandsons, Robert and Erik; granddaughters, Samantha and Rachel; his extended family in Iceland and Sweden; and his enormous circle of friends around the world.
Leif will be remembered at a Celebration of Life on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Catlett, Virginia. A funeral service and burial will be held on Aug. 16, 2024, at Kopavogur Church and Solland Cemetery in Reykavik, Iceland.
Leifur was born March 21, 1934, in Copenhagen, Denmark, as Leifur G. Haslund. He and his younger siblings moved to Iceland in 1947 where his last name was changed to Petursson due to Icelandic name laws that still exist today. It is in Iceland where he would meet his future wife, Elsa. Married in 1960, Leif and Elsa immigrated to New York in 1961. Leifur moved to Virginia in 1973, buying a house in Arlington, VA, and raised his family with Elsa.
A man of many talents, he had worked as a machinist, bus driver, mechanic, business owner, big rig driving instructor; taught diesel mechanics; and was a shop foreman for many years. In his private life, he loved his remote-control airplanes, motorcycles, music, karaoke, playing the organ and, of course, RV’s, which became his great passion for many years. In retirement, he traveled the US and Canada, making friends at every stop.
After a few years as a snowbird, spending winters in Florida and the rest of the year in Northern Virginia, Leif and Elsa found their retirement paradise in Sun City Center in 2010. As the unofficial mayor of the neighborhood golf course/dog park, Leif knew everyone and their dogs; they gathered every afternoon to let their dogs play. He started going to the gym in his 70s and was a fixture at Monday night Bingo. He retired as a captain of the Sun City Center Security Patrol. Retiring to this community was one of the best decisions he ever made, he liked to say.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Elsa; son, Peter; daughter, Christine; daughter-in-law, Barbara; grandsons, Robert and Erik; granddaughters, Samantha and Rachel; his extended family in Iceland and Sweden; and his enormous circle of friends around the world.
Leif will be remembered at a Celebration of Life on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Catlett, Virginia. A funeral service and burial will be held on Aug. 16, 2024, at Kopavogur Church and Solland Cemetery in Reykavik, Iceland.