Dr. Ernest N. Petrick

Petrick, Dr. Ernest N. son of the late Very Rev. Fr. Aurelius and Anna Petrick, died Saturday, May 30, 2015 at home surrounded by his family. Ernest was married to Magdalene Simcoe, father to Deborah (Healey), Katherine, Denise, Victoria (Kropp), grandfather to Michael (Katie Steele), Alexander, and great-grandfather to Ferris (Healey).

Ernest served with the United States Navy as Lieutenant Commander and spent his naval time during WWII as the Chief Engineer aboard the USS William D Porter DD 579. He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Institute of Technology, his MS and his PhD from Purdue University. He worked on a variety of research projects throughout his lifetime spanning from basic combustion to aeronautical engineering in the field of high-temperature air-cooled gas turbine engines. He was Technical Director and Chief Scientist of the US Army Tank-Automotive Command (TACCOM), for the research, development, engineering and testing of the components for automotive, combat and tactical vehicles.

He was an adjunct professor of engineering at the University of Michigan and Wayne State. He received the Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Award from Purdue University and was named Distinguished Engineering Alumnus, Purdue University. He served as a U.S. delegate to NATO.

Ernest was a brilliant, honest, and gracious man whose presence of warmth and quick wit left a treasured gift to everyone whose life he touched. He will be greatly missed.

Funeral Liturgy will be at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, June 4, 2015 under the auspices of Rev. Fr. Joseph Marquis, pastor of Sacred Heart Byzantine Catholic Church, Livonia, MI. The family will receive friends at the Muehlig Funeral Chapel on Wednesday from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. followed by a Parastas at 7:00 p.m. Burial will follow on Friday, June 5, 2015 at Fort Custer National Cemetery at 11:30 a.m.