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Father John C. Petri
(January 18, 1919 – June 10, 2011)
Father John C. Petri, passed away on Friday, June 10, 2011 at St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center in Lawrenceville. He was born in the City of New Brunswick January 18, 1919. He attended Sacred Heart Grammar School and St. Peter High School, both in New Brunswick. Upon his high school graduation, Fr. Petri entered St. Charles Seminary in Catonsville, Maryland where he studied for two years. He then attended the Immaculate Conception Seminary in Ramsey where he completed his studied in 1945. Receiving the sacrament of the Holy Orders, John Charles Petri was ordained a Priest in the Roman Catholic Church on March 17, 1945.
Fr. Petri's assignments included serving Star of the Sea Parish in Long Branch, St. Mary's Parish in Perth Amboy, St. Cecelia Parish in Iselin, Holy Cross Parish in Rumson, and St. Frances Parish in Trenton. He was then named Pastor of the small country Parish of Our Lady of Mercy. Fr. Petri led this growing Catholic community for ten years. In 1970 Fr. Petri was transferred to build and lead the new St. Thomas More Parish Community in Manalapan. He retired to Leasburg NC and returned to New Jersey in 2007.
Fr. Petri was the Chaplin of Prince of Peace Council 5903 Knights of Columbus and of the Gordon's Corner Fire Company. He served on the Manalapan Township Shade Tree Committee and was an original member of Manalapan Day Committee. Father Petri enjoyed gardening and tending to the landscape of St. Thomas More. He was an accomplished photographer specializing in nature and floral photographs. He was an avid hiker and canoeing, giving him a wide range of subjects for his photography work. He was also a talented woodworker.
He was predeceased by his parents; John and Florence Petri, his brothers; Charles Petri and Robert Petri and a sister Betty Ann Loeber. Father Petri is survived by his Sister-in-Law Rita Ann Petri and his nieces and nephews; Diane Falkowski, Susan Petri, Kathy Harvey, and Sean Petri along with many great nieces and nephews.
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