ALEXANDRIA BAY, NY — John L. Petrie, 68, summer resident of Thousand Islands Campground in Alexandria Bay, NY and winter resident of Beverly Hills, FL passed away Monday evening, Sept. 10, 2018.
Born Nov. 15, 1949, in Watertown, NY, the son of the late Loren and Florence Fram Petrie, he was a native of Alexandria Bay and 1968 graduate of Alexandria Bay Central School.
John married Martha A. Dickson on July 20, 1974, at the Thousand Islands Park Tabernacle with a reception at the Dickson summer home on Castle Francis Island.
After 32 years of service, he retired from the Jefferson County Department of Insurance and Safety, Watertown, NY. During his tenure he was the Generator Logistics Coordinator for several major disasters, the 1995 Microburst and the Ice Storms in 1991, 1993, and 1998. He also worked for Wheelock Lovejoy in Cleveland, OH, Crowley’s in LaFargeville, NY, Frink Snow Plow in Clayton, NY, Sicard Division of SMI-Snowblast, Inc. in Watertown, NY and he operated the Petrie SUNOCO gas station in LaFargeville, NY.
John was a member of the Jefferson County Agricultural Society which organizes the Jefferson County Fair. During his time with the County Fair he served as Vice President, Fair Assistant Manager and Grounds Director. He was Assistant Deputy Fire Coordinator for Jefferson County and he helped develop the County’s HAZMAT Emergency Response Team. He was also a volunteer, building playgrounds at Thompson Park and at Clayton. John was active in the Republican Party, and along with his wife Martha, ran three successful campaigns for Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Lafferty.
Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Martha; three sons and two daughters-in-law: Chris and Alison Petrie of Watertown, NY, Matt and Heidi Petrie of Copenhagen, NY, and John Petrie of Fort Lauderdale, FL. He is also survived by six grandchildren: Meredith and Abigail Petrie of Watertown, Dakota, Dylan and Delaney Petrie of Copenhagen, and Joseph Petrie of Fort Lauderdale; a brother Thomas Petrie and his companion Cindy Wright, Redwood, NY; two nieces and a nephew Eve Johnson of Spencerport, NY, Jennifer Petrie of Las Vegas, NV, and James Dickson of Watertown, NY; as well as many cousins and friends. He also leaves behind his two dogs, Mitsi and Cashew.
John was a skilled mechanic who could fix anything. He was a jack-of-all-trades. He will be remembered as being larger than life, a big kid at heart, and someone who was willing to go out of his way to help anyone in need. He was a jokester whose laugh filled the room.
Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of John’s Life at 2pm on Saturday, September 15, 2018 at the Alexandria Bay Fire Department, 110 Walton Street, Alexandria Bay, NY with Jefferson County Fire Chaplain, Samuel Lundy, officiating. There will be a reception afterward at the Fire Department.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either TIERS at 885 Graves St., Clayton, NY 13624, or the Alexandria Bay Fire Department at 110 Walton St., Alexandria Bay, NY 13607.
Arrangements are with the Frederick Bros. Funeral Home, Theresa, NY.
Condolences may be made online at frederickbrosfuneralhome.com.
