Peter G. Bertozzi
May 18, 1949 - May 21, 2022
Peter G. Bertozzi - Our Hero’s Last Stand.
The war lasted for one hundred and ten days.
It began with stealth. Fatigue came in the night, and stealthily, slowly chipped away at our Hero, but he was determined to overcome and persevere through Fatigue's advances. Low Blood Counts arrived on the battlefield and attacked our Hero on three fronts, bringing down his white knights and his red knights and his platelet armor. Allies, versed in medicinal lore, came to the aid of our Hero and brought new red knights and sometimes platelets and each time our Hero stood again against Fatigue and Low Blood Counts and for several weeks the battle raged as the enemy scored advantages and weakened our Hero. His Allies came to his aid at every juncture, fortified him and boosted him up. Brief lulls in battle were spent with those he loved most, and his foremost thought was always for his children.
The enemy saw that our Hero was brave and tenacious and brought forth a mighty plague called MDS-EB2 which raged against our Hero as he fought to stand his ground. This plague said ''I will ravage your blood and marrow'' but our Hero refused to yield. Bravely he dug deeper into his soul and from his depths sought to repel the horde that was set upon him. Again and again they launched their joint attacks and again and again, with the aid of his allies, our Hero repelled them from his walls.
Angry and frustrated at their inability to subdue him, Fatigue, Low Blood Counts and MDS conspired in secret and brought Infection into the fray. Our beloved Hero buckled, but refused to fall. For two full weeks, every single day, he fought Infection - and after fourteen days he triumphed over this enemy. Again his loves sought to be in his presence as he caught his breath between assaults.
Fatigue, Low Blood Counts, MDS and Infection were enraged at the strength, courage, honor and determination of our Hero and so they plotted late one night and sought to unleash the harshest foe against our Hero .... Fever.
Fever came with no mercy, relentlessly attacking, day after day, hour after hour. His enemies attacked in unison - Fatigue, Low Blood Counts, MDS, Infection and Fever and it took this army of enemies one hundred and ten days to bring our Hero down. Brought to his knees, still he fought bravely as those who loved him watched helplessly, unable to come to his aid.
Our splendid, brave oh-so-beloved Hero breathed his last on May 21st, 2022.
His name was Peter G. Bertozzi and he will be our Hero forever.
Peter was born in Mount Auburn hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts on May 18th, 1949 to Gurino {Warren} Bertozzi and Bernadette Morrissey. He grew up in Roxbury, and later Hyde Park, with his older siblings, the late John Bertozzi of Rockland, Joan (Bertozzi) Agostini of St. Cloud, Florida and Paul Bertozzi of New York City, New York. As a youngster he loved to visit his Italian grandparents, Giovanni Bertozzi and Maria Della Chiesa, in Ayer, Massachusetts. He studied engineering and graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology.
He enlisted with the U.S. Army in December 1969. Peter served overseas in the Republic of Vietnam with the 118th Assault Helicopter Company as a crew chief with the 3rd Platoon (Bandits) at Bien Hoa and later with C Troop, 16th Air Cavalry (Darkhorse), 1st Aviation Brigade, at Can Tho. When he returned home, he joined the telephone company, married and had two sons, Paul Bertozzi of Mansfield, Massachusetts and the late Nicholas Bertozzi of Foxboro, Massachusetts. He began a career at the MBTA that would span 26 years and rose through the ranks in signals and communications to become Director of Systemwide Maintenance and Improvements. He continued his engineering career with STV Inc., HDR Inc. and Patrick Inc. His expertise was valued by all.
Peter’s life took an unexpected turn when he met Caroline Dunne, from Co. Kerry, Ireland. While seemingly polar opposites at first glance, their hearts had other plans and this unlikely pair wed in St. Brendan’s Church, Curraheen, Co. Kerry in April 2005. Peter became a father again, to Aidan Bertozzi, Elsha Bertozzi and Ciara Bertozzi - of Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Peter worked hard, loved to cook, enjoyed reading and days at the beach. He had all the qualities of a good man - a huge heart, a great intellect and a fantastic, sarcastic sense of humor. He approached life with curiosity and determination. He had a lot to share and was generous - generous with his time, with his knowledge, with his heart. He loved to feed people and was famous for his meatballs and home-made bread ! He made everyone feel welcome.
Most of all, nothing meant more to him than his family, his boys Paul and Nick and then
Caroline, Aidan, Elsha and Ciara. Paul married Kerri-Lyn Nickerson, of Mansfield, and they gave Peter two grand-children, Olivia and Nolan Bertozzi, of Foxboro. He adored them all.
His heart carried love and fondness for his siblings, nephews, niece and extended family, friends and colleagues. There was room for everyone.. He loved his Charlie-girl, the family dog, too !
His hardest day was the loss of his son Nick, in 2012. It took ten years and one week for them to be reunited.
Visiting hours in the Davis Life Celebration Funeral Home 619 State Rd. Plymouth (Manomet) on Thursday May 26th from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday May 27th at 10:30 am at St. Peter’s Church 86 Court St. Plymouth. Cremation will follow at Vine Hills Crematory.
In honor of our Hero, we invite you to donate blood at any local blood drive and to support the New England Center for Homeless Veterans and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.
The war lasted for one hundred and ten days.
It began with stealth. Fatigue came in the night, and stealthily, slowly chipped away at our Hero, but he was determined to overcome and persevere through Fatigue's advances. Low Blood Counts arrived on the battlefield and attacked our Hero on three fronts, bringing down his white knights and his red knights and his platelet armor. Allies, versed in medicinal lore, came to the aid of our Hero and brought new red knights and sometimes platelets and each time our Hero stood again against Fatigue and Low Blood Counts and for several weeks the battle raged as the enemy scored advantages and weakened our Hero. His Allies came to his aid at every juncture, fortified him and boosted him up. Brief lulls in battle were spent with those he loved most, and his foremost thought was always for his children.
The enemy saw that our Hero was brave and tenacious and brought forth a mighty plague called MDS-EB2 which raged against our Hero as he fought to stand his ground. This plague said ''I will ravage your blood and marrow'' but our Hero refused to yield. Bravely he dug deeper into his soul and from his depths sought to repel the horde that was set upon him. Again and again they launched their joint attacks and again and again, with the aid of his allies, our Hero repelled them from his walls.
Angry and frustrated at their inability to subdue him, Fatigue, Low Blood Counts and MDS conspired in secret and brought Infection into the fray. Our beloved Hero buckled, but refused to fall. For two full weeks, every single day, he fought Infection - and after fourteen days he triumphed over this enemy. Again his loves sought to be in his presence as he caught his breath between assaults.
Fatigue, Low Blood Counts, MDS and Infection were enraged at the strength, courage, honor and determination of our Hero and so they plotted late one night and sought to unleash the harshest foe against our Hero .... Fever.
Fever came with no mercy, relentlessly attacking, day after day, hour after hour. His enemies attacked in unison - Fatigue, Low Blood Counts, MDS, Infection and Fever and it took this army of enemies one hundred and ten days to bring our Hero down. Brought to his knees, still he fought bravely as those who loved him watched helplessly, unable to come to his aid.
Our splendid, brave oh-so-beloved Hero breathed his last on May 21st, 2022.
His name was Peter G. Bertozzi and he will be our Hero forever.
Peter was born in Mount Auburn hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts on May 18th, 1949 to Gurino {Warren} Bertozzi and Bernadette Morrissey. He grew up in Roxbury, and later Hyde Park, with his older siblings, the late John Bertozzi of Rockland, Joan (Bertozzi) Agostini of St. Cloud, Florida and Paul Bertozzi of New York City, New York. As a youngster he loved to visit his Italian grandparents, Giovanni Bertozzi and Maria Della Chiesa, in Ayer, Massachusetts. He studied engineering and graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology.
He enlisted with the U.S. Army in December 1969. Peter served overseas in the Republic of Vietnam with the 118th Assault Helicopter Company as a crew chief with the 3rd Platoon (Bandits) at Bien Hoa and later with C Troop, 16th Air Cavalry (Darkhorse), 1st Aviation Brigade, at Can Tho. When he returned home, he joined the telephone company, married and had two sons, Paul Bertozzi of Mansfield, Massachusetts and the late Nicholas Bertozzi of Foxboro, Massachusetts. He began a career at the MBTA that would span 26 years and rose through the ranks in signals and communications to become Director of Systemwide Maintenance and Improvements. He continued his engineering career with STV Inc., HDR Inc. and Patrick Inc. His expertise was valued by all.
Peter’s life took an unexpected turn when he met Caroline Dunne, from Co. Kerry, Ireland. While seemingly polar opposites at first glance, their hearts had other plans and this unlikely pair wed in St. Brendan’s Church, Curraheen, Co. Kerry in April 2005. Peter became a father again, to Aidan Bertozzi, Elsha Bertozzi and Ciara Bertozzi - of Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Peter worked hard, loved to cook, enjoyed reading and days at the beach. He had all the qualities of a good man - a huge heart, a great intellect and a fantastic, sarcastic sense of humor. He approached life with curiosity and determination. He had a lot to share and was generous - generous with his time, with his knowledge, with his heart. He loved to feed people and was famous for his meatballs and home-made bread ! He made everyone feel welcome.
Most of all, nothing meant more to him than his family, his boys Paul and Nick and then
Caroline, Aidan, Elsha and Ciara. Paul married Kerri-Lyn Nickerson, of Mansfield, and they gave Peter two grand-children, Olivia and Nolan Bertozzi, of Foxboro. He adored them all.
His heart carried love and fondness for his siblings, nephews, niece and extended family, friends and colleagues. There was room for everyone.. He loved his Charlie-girl, the family dog, too !
His hardest day was the loss of his son Nick, in 2012. It took ten years and one week for them to be reunited.
Visiting hours in the Davis Life Celebration Funeral Home 619 State Rd. Plymouth (Manomet) on Thursday May 26th from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday May 27th at 10:30 am at St. Peter’s Church 86 Court St. Plymouth. Cremation will follow at Vine Hills Crematory.
In honor of our Hero, we invite you to donate blood at any local blood drive and to support the New England Center for Homeless Veterans and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.
