Lake Huntington News

Posted 8/21/12

I write this column with such a heavy heart: my friend Frances was buried last Thursday.

Then, when I came home from Queens, Tommy told me to sit down, he had to tell me something. “Pete …

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Lake Huntington News

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I write this column with such a heavy heart: my friend Frances was buried last Thursday.

Then, when I came home from Queens, Tommy told me to sit down, he had to tell me something. “Pete passed,” he said.

So many things ran through my head. First one was, he did not suffer long; then, how are his kids doing?

There are a lot of very sad people in Sullivan County with Pete’s passing. I was listening to everything people were saying—what a great person he was, a real friend, a fabulous father, a true Marine, a member of the Knights of Columbus for over 37 years.

What I liked the best was, “When you met Pete, you knew you had a friend for life.” Like everyone else, I met Pete in Pete’s Pub. He and Anita welcomed you as if they had known you forever. You became one of the family. There was nothing they would not do for you.

I had the honor to work for Pete and Anita for three years; you could not meet harder working, more loving people. Pete was an amazing man; he always asked you, “Do you need anything?” “Can I help you?” “Do you need bread?”

Pete was known as the bread man. Whenever you would run into him, he would have a trunk full of breads and cakes. Pete went out of his way to drop off breads to the food pantry. He was such a kind-hearted man. Pete was not a tall man, but he was a big, generous man. I loved his hugs. He would grab me and lay his head on my chest and squeeze. Pete always had a joke. (He loved to laugh as he was telling them.) It’s the little things like the hug and the laugh I am going to miss the most.

The last time I saw Pete was in church. As he was coming back from Communion, I leaned out into the aisle and gave him a hug. The “King of Lake Huntington” may be gone, but he will never be forgotten.

Pete, I love you. Say “hi” to Anita for all of us.

Till we meet again.

Have a great week and email leeniebeans@citlink.net or call 845/252-3568 if you have news.

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