Elizabeth Helen Force Petersen

Elizabeth Helen Force Petersen, 46, of Akron, Ohio, passed away on Saturday after a short illness.

Born Jan. 23, 1972, in Grove City, Elizabeth spent most of her life in the Slippery Rock area. Elizabeth graduated from Slippery Rock High School in 1990 and Slippery Rock University in 1994.

Since 2000, she and her husband, Rob, resided in Akron, Ohio, where she worked as a kindergarten teacher at Le Chaperon Rouge Child Care Center.

She enjoyed playing hand bells and was a member of the Stow Heritage Ringers, Summit Bells and the Stow Presbyterian Church.

She loved attending the Broadway series in Cleveland and in New York, and having fun playing Bunco with many dear friends.

Elizabeth had an abundance of joy and patience when working with her kindergartners, teaching swim lessons or in changing yet another thread color in a cross-stitch.

She liked traveling and had especially fond memories of a road trip that she and Rob took to the West coast in 2012. She laughed and cried easily (sometimes both during a really good movie!).

She is survived by her father, George T. Force; her stepmother, Cynthia Dillon; her brother, Donald C. (Jody) Force; her niece, Melanie; her sister-in-law, Nancy (Steven) Brandt; her nephew, Noah; her niece, Juliette (Andrew) Townsend and her grand-niece, Luella.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her beloved husband and best friend, Robert J. Petersen Jr.; her mother, Joan Helen Petkus Force; and her mother-in-law, Lola Petersen.

The family thanks the Medina Hospice Care Center for their compassion and care.

PETERSEN — A memorial service for Elizabeth Helen Force Petersen, who died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Stow Presbyterian Church, 4150 Fishcreek Road, Stow, Ohio, with a luncheon immediately following.Arrangements were entrusted to Redmon Funeral Home, Stow, Ohio.Memorials may be made in lieu of flowers to the Stow Heritage Ringers.Please visit www.redmonfuneralhome.com.