Peter “Pete” William Boccuzzi 5

Peter “Pete” William Boccuzzi 

1944-2023 

Peter “Pete” William Boccuzzi, 78, a long-time resident of Westmont and Downers Grove, Ill., died on June 28, 2023, in Leesburg, Fla., after a long battle with cancer.  

Pete was born the younger of two sons of Philip and Esther Boccuzzi in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 27, 1944. Within a few years, his family moved to a small farm area in rural Westmont.   

Pete attended St. Procopius High School in Lisle. As a teen, he fell in love with engines and machines and built his own go-carts. He worked at the Four Lakes with the grounds crew and later as a gas station attendant until he finished school.   

After he graduated, Pete went on to study at Coyne Electrical School in Chicago. He first worked at Western Door and Electromotive. He then built a 30-year career within Western Electric, Bell Labs, AT+T and Lucent Technologies (all parts of the old Bell System).  

A lifelong learner, he continued his education taking every class he could through the company. He retired with electrical engineering status; he was very proud of his work, company and the technology they worked on.  

In 1965, Pete married Margaret “Peggy” McCartney, and they had three children. While raising his family, there was no job too difficult in rehabbing their 100-year-old home. If he didn’t know how to do a project, he would read everything he could on “how to.” He taught himself out of books from the local library. He fixed TVs, radios and lawnmowers as a hobby. He loved family vacations, and he spoiled his dogs.  

After retirement, Pete and Peggy moved to Belen, where they lived for 15 years giving back to the community. He volunteered with the Telephone Pioneers, he worked with a group of fellow techies fixing talking books and building beep-balls (baseball for the blind and visually impaired).  

He was an active and faithful member of the United Methodist Church, serving as a trustee chairman while they built a new church in Belen. He and fellow church members helped build wheelchair ramps for folks in Valencia County with mobility issues.  

They later moved to Leesburg, Fla., where he lived for the last six years. In his free time, he would enjoy tinkering with old computers, learned archery and read about new technology.  

In the last couple of years, even in sickness, he remained eternally optimistic and friendly. He watched cooking shows and westerns. He loved spending time with family. He read the Bible daily and his faith never wavered.  

He was preceded in death by his dad, Philip; and his mom, Esther; and many beloved dogs.   

He is survived by his wife, Margaret ‘Peggy” Boccuzzi (nee McCartney); his children, Ruth Calderone (Joseph), Paul Boccuzzi (Beth) and Linda Hoffman (Adam); five grandchildren, Sophia, Joseph, Archer, Anthony and Fiona; and his brother, John Boccuzzi (Bonnie).  

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, July 28, in the First United Methodist Church of Downers Grove, at 1034 W. Maple Ave. He will be buried in a private ceremony at the Clarendon Hills Cemetery near his parents.