FISHERS LANDING, NY — John B. Petrie of Beverly Hills, Florida and the Thousand Islands, died peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, May 3, 2020, in Florida. John was 38 years old.
Born Sept. 14, 1981, at House of the Good Samaritan Hospital in Watertown, NY, the son of Martha A. and the late John L. Petrie, he was a 1999 graduate of Watertown High School.
He is survived by his mother, Martha of Florida and Fishers Landing; two brothers, Chris (Alison) of Watertown and Matt (Heidi) of Copenhagen; a son, Joseph of Plantation, Florida; aunts, uncles, cousins and countless friends. Also left to mourn his loss is his yellow lab, Cashew.
His father, John died in September of 2018. He was also predeceased by his maternal and paternal grandparents.
John’s first love was his family but his second love was boating. He was most comfortable at the wheel of any motorboat, big or small. He earned his U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License at the Clayton Boat Museum and moved to Florida where he could boat year-round. He worked on, fixed and re-built portions of luxury Mega Yachts at Hargrave Custom Yacht Builders where he eventually ended up as Parts Manager in an air conditioned office. John also skippered yachts up and down the Florida coast. When he died, he was working on an innovative project for solar power that, among other things, could be used for hurricane relief.
John honed his boating skills at a young age where he spent summers at the family cottage on Castle Francis Island off the main dock at Thousand Island Park. He was affectionately known as “The Mayor” of T. I. Park because he knew so many people. As a teenager, John spent several summers working at the Alexandria Bay village dock where he learned the art of networking, an attribute that he carried through life. He loved nothing more than introducing people to his beloved St. Lawrence River and the Thousand Islands. Among his many lifelong friends, young and old, were the ones he met while attending Camp Wabasso in Redwood as a kid. John had a zest for life that was endless.
John enjoyed golf and duck hunting. He played rugby for awhile on a team at Fort Drum where he enjoyed friendships with his military buddies. He was also a certified diver.
John will be remembered for being a great communicator, a loyal friend and dropping everything to help people. He was a doting father, devoted son and caring brother, cousin and uncle. John’s best friend said “He was a lot kinder and more generous than most people got close enough to see.”
A celebration of life will be held later this summer on the River.
If you’d like to offer a message of sympathy you can send it to the Petrie family, 714 Nellis St., Watertown N.Y. 13601.
If you wish to make a donation in John’s name to the Antique Boat Museum, 750 Mary St., Clayton N.Y. 13624, the family would be honored. And, a savings account has been set up for John’s son, Joseph Petrie, at State Civil Service Credit Union, 144 Eastern Blvd., Watertown N.Y. 13601.
Any donation or remembrance would be greatly appreciated during this time when hugs and handshakes are not being recommended.
