On Tuesday, October 25, 2022, Elizabeth (Li) Peterson Rettie passed away at the age of 94. She was proud to be a life-long resident of Greenwich, CT.
Li was born on April 21, 1928, to Joseph and Ellen (Anderson) Peterson. She attended Greenwich Public Schools and received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Elmira College in 1950. Li married Charles (Chuck) Rettie (Chuck) in February 1965.
She was a successful pension consultant when there were few women in the field. She received her Chartered Life Underwriter’s Degree (CLU) in 1968 and was a Chartered Financial Consultant. In 2004, Li was elected a Trustee of Elmira College and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD) in 2016.
Li and Chuck shared a passion for sailing. They were active members of both the Riverside Yacht Club and the New York Yacht Club. Li and Chuck named their sailboats Alskling, which is Swedish for sweetheart or darling. They sailed the Sound every summer with friends and family, enjoying the Annual Distance Cruises and Vespers competition.
They also raced Flying Scots, with sail number #27, one of the earliest in the fleet. They were close friends with the designer Sandy Douglass, and participated in many national regattas. Their sailing prowess is recognized with too many trophies to mention.
Li also loved to travel, visiting family throughout the U.S., Europe and Sweden. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Greenwich, as were her parents and grandparents.
Li was preceded in death by her husband, Chuck; mother, Ellen; father, Joseph; sister, Miriam; and brother, Joseph Jr. She is survived by her long-time partner, Harold Frost; her adopted children, Wendy Sharon and Richard Sharon; their 5 children, Laura, Robert, Christina, Christopher, and Diana; and their 7 grandchildren.
