John Anthony "Jack" Petrarca

Mr. Petrarca was born in Derry, PA on April 3, 1931, the son of John J. and Laura V. Petrarca. He lived most of his life in Greensburg & Mt. Lebanon, PA. Mr. Petrarca was a graduate of Greensburg High School and St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. He served his country as a 1st Lt. with the U.S. Marine Corps 3rd Marine Air Wing and was a Life Member of the Marine Corps League and past Commandant for the Dept. of North Carolina and a member of the Military Order of the Devil Dogs. He was also a Life member of the Triangle Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, a member of the Cary American Legion Post 67, Associate member of the 5th Marine Division Association and a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #6650 and the 4th degree Knights of Columbus #2446. He was past President and a member of the Cary Senior Golf Association and past President of the Hampton Park Homeowners Association. Mr. Petrarca was employed by Westinghouse Electric Corp for 35 years and retired as Vice President & Asst. Controller. He was a recipient of the Highest Award given by his Company the Westinghouse Order of Merit. He was an active member of St. Andrew The Apostle Catholic Church, Apex, since coming to Cary, with his late wife Janet, in 1999.

Mr. Petrarca was preceded in death by his beloved wife Janet, in 2003, and is survived by his children: Mark and his wife Sharon of San Diego, CA, Jeffrey of Burke, VA, Curt and his wife Aimee of Sanford, NC, Debora and her husband Gary Nill of Owassa, OK, Linda Petrarca of Chicago, IL, Sandra and her husband Gerald Connolly of Fuquay-Varina, NC; sister Rosemary Lewis and her husband Fritz of Jeannette, PA; brother-in-law, Bert Bringe and his wife Theresa of Greensburg, PA; and grandchildren Nickolas & Samantha Nill, Kelly, Kessler, and Laura Quillen Petrarca, and Jonathan & Alexander Connolly.

A Mass will be held 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, 3008 Old Raleigh Rd., Apex, NC. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, Jack would have encouraged memorial contributions to the Katie Swaney Foundation – foundation for children with Leukemia, Dept 377, Ste 300, Capital Trail, Newark, DE 19711-7155. Condolences may be made online at www.apexfuneral.net