RICHARD “DICK” E. PETTIGREW SR., 82, of FAIR HAVEN, died Thursday, Sept. 27, at his home. Born in Scranton, Pa., he had been a lifelong resident of Fair Haven, where he had been a member and former chief of the Fair Haven Fire Department since 1953. He was a member of the Christ Church United Methodist, Fair Haven and was one of the first coaches of the Fair Haven Pop Warner football program. He loved playing golf with his friends and was an avid fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the N.Y. Mets. Mr. Pettigrew was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II. His professional career included being a teamster driver for the Ward Baking Company in Neptune, and he also worked for JC Williams Advertising and Gertrude Brown’s Restaurant.
Along with his parents, he was predeceased by his wife, Jean Rumsey Pettigrew, who passed away in 2004; his two brothers, Robert and William Pettigrew; and two sisters, Margaret Jakubecy and Charlotte Zerr. He is survived by his two sons, Richard E. Pettigrew Jr. and his wife Maura of Fair Haven, and Kevin C. Pettigrew and his wife Jane of Middletown. He also leaves five grandchildren, Jennifer Johnson and her husband Jed, Kevin C. Pettigrew Jr., Erin Henderickson and her husband David, Kristy Hensle and her husband Jason, and Carrie Pettigrew; and four great-grandchildren, Gavin, David, Riley, and Cameron. “Pop” was the love of a lot of people’s lives and he will be greatly missed.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Ave., Red Bank. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Fair Haven Fire Department and First Aid, 645 River Road, Fair Haven, NJ 07704. Letters of condolence may be sent to the family through the funeral home’s website, www.sidun.com.