PORTVILLE – Harry "Pete" Walter Peters, 75, of Portville, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his large, beautiful family on Saturday (Sept. 17, 2022).
Pete was born in Bradford, Pa. to John and Mary Hill Peters on Oct. 7, 1946.
He attended the Richburg school system and later completed his GED. Coming from very humble beginnings, he worked tirelessly as an entrepreneur, starting as a young boy with a paper route and any miscellaneous jobs he could find.
His strong work ethic continued throughout his lifetime. As a teenager, he started working as a meat cutter for Smitty's Meat Market, in Bolivar, and quickly secured a second meat cutting job at White Hawk Beef.
From there he started his own deli and butcher shop, The Meat Market in Bolivar. This combined with his workaholic tendencies, lead to a plethora of businesses, such as Finer Subs and Pizza, Wooden Shingle Restaurant, Game Room, Dairyland, real estate purchases and finally his Pete-Za-Ria Restaurant and Wholesale pizzeria.
His Pete-Za-Ria relocated from Bolivar to Portville, to become WNY's largest locally owned, wholesale supplier of pizzas. He was proud of his Pete-Za-Ria School Fundraiser Program that helped schools and organizations raise funds with custom pizzas, while building community – he believed in community and supporting local businesses.
If you have eaten a pizza at a local bar or had a fresh frozen prepared pizza from a local grocery, you have more than likely tasted the fruits of his lifetime's accomplishment before his retirement in 2014 – although he never really retired.
Pete's generosity did not end with the fundraiser programs, he was also an active participant for many years with the Masons, the Lions Club, the Shriners and the Salvation Army.
He was known for his big heart, his generosity and for his love of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a family man to say the least. With a very large and beautiful succession of family, he engaged each and everyone with his many interests and hobbies.
He was well known for his construction capabilities in his real estate investments, especially his woodworking skills with decking. This skillset he passed down to his youngest son, Chad, and several apprentices.
His capabilities and sense of community led him to create the granddaddy of Christmas light displays that the town of Portville has ever seen on Pleasant Acres Drive.
He was always creating opportunities for families and children. He and his family worked for months in advance to prepare for the Christmas season light display for years.
As a coin collector, he had a particular fondness for pennies, that he started collecting when he was 13 years old. Those pennies became a symbol of him, a timeless classic, that have an understated value. He was known not only to collect coins (especially pennies), but to create new penny keepsakes in diverse glass collectibles to offer them as gifts (of his affections) to those that he loved, respected or wished to inspire.
Pete is survived by his beloved bride, Mary Ann "Maze" Peters, of Bolivar, wed on July 21, 1990, in Bolivar United Methodist Church. Their total of 41 years together are leaving behind six children, Jeffrey Peters (Carlos Perez) of Leesburg, Va., Kathy Donovan (Ted Howard) of Smethport, Pa., Raleigh Dombek (nephew-like a son) of Phoenix, Ariz., Mark Burdick of Indonesia, Chad Peters (Melissa Doran) of Asheville, N.C. and Melissa Richards (Paul) of Portville; 11 grandchildren, Selena Perez, Reuben Donovan, Sidney Aronsohn, Mark Burdick II (Rheannon), Alexa Peters, Nolan Fish, Victoria Yates (Nathan), Cameron Richards, Ashton Richards, Lucas Richards and Isaac Richards respectively; five great-grandchildren, Avery, Markie, Waylon, Sofia and Titus respectively; two brothers, John "Jack" I. Peters of Limestone and Miles Peters of Covina, Calif.
Friends will be received from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 21, 2022) at Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc., 646 E. State St., Olean, at which time funeral services will be held. He had requested casual wear and to wear a piece of yellow as yellow was his favorite color. If you do not have yellow, please wear a bright color as he did not want dark or sad colors.
Online condolences may be made at www.letromcintoshspinkfuneralhome.com.
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