Obituary of Peter Lavelle

Peter John Lavelle, 88 of Bluffton SC, formerly of Neptune, NJ passed away peacefully on January 29, 2023 in South Carolina. He was born December 31, 1934 in the Yorkville section of Manhattan, NY to Bernard and Ann (McAliney) Lavelle. Pete is survived by his two loving and devoted sons, Peter Lavelle (Elizabeth) of Madison CT and Matthew Lavelle (Andrea) of Bluffton, SC along with two grandchildren he adored, Madison Meersman (Jack) and Erin Lavelle. Pete attended Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx where he was a standout track and cross-country runner. Upon graduation from high school he enlisted in the United States Army where he proudly served in the 2nd Armored Division “Hell on Wheels” as a tanker. He was stationed overseas in Germany. Honorable discharged from the US Army, Peter enrolled at St. Johns University graduating with a degree in marketing. Pete enjoyed a successful career in the corporate world working for such companies as GAF, Union Carbide and Amoco Oil before retiring as an Executive Vice President. Pete was always active in the community especially at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Tappan, NY where he served on the Bingo Night committee to raise funds for the school and church. He was instrumental in gathering donations to create a basketball court for the CYO Sacred Heart basketball team. He was a pillar of the Tappan Youth Baseball Organization and was the manager of many of his sons teams. In his retirement years at the Jersey Shore he was a congregant at the Holy Innocents Church in Neptune, NJ where he spent countless hours working with the priests at mass and caring for the grounds on his own time. Pete loved his family and will always be remembered as a kind and generous man. He had a wonderful sense of humor and a radiant smile. He always had a presence when he walked into the room. Pete was very proud of his Irish heritage and enjoyed listening to Irish music. He was an avid golfer and longtime fan of the NY Giants and Yankees. He is preceded in death by his parents, first wife, Madeline (Howard) Lavelle (1998) and second wife, Patricia (Wolfe) Lavelle (2019) and four siblings, twin brother, Myles Lavelle, James Lavelle, Mary Butler and Bernard Lavelle. Family and friends are invited to meet and attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, March 10, 2023 at 10 AM in St. Theresa Catholic Church, 1394 Pleasantville Rd., Briarcliff Manor, NY with Committal and Full US Army Honors to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne NY.