Anthony John Petracca

Anthony John Petracca, 92, originally of Philadelphia and lately of Las Vegas, died peacefully at the Nathan Adelson Hospice early on the morning of Palm Sunday, April 10, 2022. He was born on July 10, 1929, of John and Rose Petracca. His father, a shoemaker from Naples, and his mother, of business people originally from Abruzzi, had six children, of whom Tony was the fourth. His remaining surviving sister, Rosemary Cappello, lives in Philadelphia; while his parents, his beloved grandmother Giuseppina, and four of his five sisters (Eleanor, Beatrice, Josephine, and Frances), preceded him in death.

Tony’s adult life began at the Philadelphia National Bank upon his graduation from high school, in more ways than one. Starting on third shift in the Proof Department, he eventually worked his way around to daytime, then upward to Assistant Vice President, having served in most of the departments of the bank during his 28 years there. Upon retirement, he began his own business as a management consultant, and founded several small business partnerships as well, which work eventually moved him and his family to the State College area near Penn State, where he became a lifelong fan of the Nittany Lions, and a regular tailgater at football games.

More importantly at PNB, he met his future wife in that same daytime Proof Department, so that he and Margaret Mary Fadigan were married at Saint Anne’s Church in the Kensington section of the city on April 30, 1955. Nine months and two days later Tony Junior arrived (now residing in Altoona, PA), eventually to be followed by Margaret Ann (Las Vegas, NV), Michael (Camarillo, CA, married to Teresa, with sons Andrew, Michael, Stephen and Thomas), Eleanor (Los Alamitos, CA) and John (Las Vegas, NV, married to Ruby, and, with Ruby, long his father’s primary caregiver). His wife Peggy of 55 years died on May 5, 2010 with the same Hospice group in town.

Tony and Peggy were both lifelong Catholics, and most recently members of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, Catholic Church in Las Vegas. Over the years Tony served various parishes as usher and finance council member, as well as occasional and unofficial choir member as his voice belted out favorite hymns over the decades. His love of music went back to the cradle, as both of his parents played as a mandolin-and-guitar duo, and he himself in high school learned both piano and trumpet. While listening to musical styles over time as varied as the Beatles, Motown, jazz and classical, in later years his tastes focused on Mozart, both operatic and symphonic. He had taken voice lessons for years as a young man, and up to the end enjoyed singing.

While still in Philadelphia at PNB, he was a longtime member of that city’s chapter of the Data Processing Management Association, and became its rotating president one year. It was their annual conventions at places such as New Orleans, Montreal and San Francisco that gave him the bug for travel. During the nations bicentennial celebrations in Philadelphia, he and Peg also became more interested in touring historical sites in the East, and eventually out West.

Around that time he rose to be president of the bank’s Quarter Century Club, presiding that year over the inclusion of both the current bank president, and the current chair of the Board of Directors, both having served there now for 25 years. He had been sent on for various educations seminars (such as the Dale Carnegie School), experiences that culminated with a graduate degree from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers in 1974.

Long proud of his Italian heritage, he often accompanied his father to the local Italian Club as a boy, and later in State College served as an active member of the Order Sons of Italy in America, as well as the Knights of Columbus, and even started an informal bocce club.

Tony and Peg decided to move to a warmer climate, and so Tony returned to formal bank work after they moved to the Los Angeles area in the early eighties. Once again he attained to full retirement, this time as a Vice President. Still, not satisfied with idleness, he now began working for a national banking consulting firm about half the time each year, flying to various cities each week for months-long projects, where his extensive experience aided the younger, more up-and-coming consultants.

Tony and Peg long enjoyed weekends in Las Vegas, especially at the Flamingo Hilton; and so they eventually moved here permanently. Nevertheless, Tony remained ever loyal both to the Philadelphia Eagles and to Penn State right up to the end. Further, his favorite golfer for decades was Tiger Woods, so that during his last weekend on earth he was able to watch Tiger during his first two rounds of the Masters on the hospital TV. He also loved trains, and worked on his model platform at home while he was still able to stand.

Tony’s lifelong love of country was perhaps reflected best by the two years he spent in an armor division while serving stateside in the US Army at Fort Rucker in Alabama during Korea. Up to his death he gave monthly gifts, not only to his parish, but to 23 charities of various sorts, including several for veterans and several for first responders. For this reason, he final resting place will be with Peg at the Veterans’ Cemetery in Boulder City, a beautifully-landscaped desert area that would easily remind him of the many cactus plants that his father displayed in red clay pots in the large display window of his shoemaker’s shop as a boy. His father’s love for literature and poetic writings may also have moved Tony to work on a novel about the Civil War in his later years. One story perhaps best sums up Tony’s approach to life, and the positive effect he had on those around him. Over 20 years ago he contracted prostate cancer, and opted for a regimen of 30 daily radiation treatments at a local facility. Naturally, there were other cancer sufferers in the waiting room, and over those weeks different individuals would find that their months overlapped. Well, on the last day of his own treatment, the other patients expressed sadness that they would not see him there any more, since his attitude and comportment had been so positive that he at times even got them laughing at his stories. They explained that, sure, they were all there because they had cancer; but Tony made them forget their common troubles for a few minutes with his infectious sense of Joy. Joy was his Gift, and to the end his positivity about his eternal future, expressed in his love for Jesus, the Church, and Mary, helped assure his remaining loved ones that not only was he secure in the Lord (he loved reading the Bible even after he could no longer attend Mass but could only watch it on TV), but that he would remain a positive part of their lives down here through the Communion of Saints.

As with Peg, his own final details are being arranged by the Palm Mortuary. The viewing, Vigil service, and Rosary will take place at their facility at Jones and Oakey Monday evening, May 2nd, from 4:00 to 6:00, where family and friends will be received. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, Catholic Church on West Sahara at 10:00 Tuesday morning, May 3rd. Final committal and interment will be at the Nevada Veterans’ Cemetery in Boulder City at noon.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.