Obituary: Laurence “Pete” Beckerle, Jr.

Laurence “Pete” Beckerle, Jr. passed away unexpectedly at 93 years young on Friday, November 24 surrounded by loving family and friends. The youngest son of Laurence Sr. and Ellen (McEntegart) Beckerle,Pete was born in Nyack Hospital and grew up in Spring Valley, New York. He was a graduate of the Spring Valley Class of 1948. Pete earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the College of the Holy Cross in 1952 where his senior thesis subject was “the Physics of Modern Rocketry.”

At a “Tea Dance” hosted by Marymount Manhattan College, Pete and 2 best buds from Holy Cross met 3 young ladies from Marymount.These 3 couples: Denise Duross and Pete Beckerle, Peggy and Jack Kenny and Anita and John Kapp celebrated a combined 190 years of marriage! Pete always said he was smitten after hearing the glamorous Denise playing Debussy’s “Clair De Lune” on the piano.

Denise and Pete married on October 2, 1954 at St Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church on W 31st Street, NYC. They lived in Newport, Rhode Island where Pete was a US Naval Operations Officer on the destroyer USS Fred T Berry. Following Pete’s Navy stint the growing family crossed the Hudson on the opening day of the new Tappan Zee Bridge on December 16, 1955 and moved “sight unseen” to a one bedroom 1930’s Swiss Chalet style home in Pearl River. Pete resided in this home which morphed with several additions for 68 years until his passing.

Pete joined his father to work full time at Beckerle Lumber Supply Company, the family business established in 1940. Pete assumed the reins as President in 1966 and served in this capacity for nearly 45 years before assuming the role of Chairman Emeritus.

Pete started at the family business helping his father at the age of 12. After returning full time he guided the business through 3 major fires, and numerous recessions. He grew the business from a single location to three stores. He continued to mentor and advise.His wisdom, vision and experience have been invaluable through all the ups and downs. His attended his last stockholders breakfast meeting on the day he died.

Laurence “Pete” Beckerle was committed to Family, Church and Community. He was a proud member and Past President of the Nanuet-West Nyack Rotary with over 60 years of perfect attendance. He exemplified the Rotary Motto of “Service Above Self.” He served on the Board of Directors of the Spring Valley Savings and Loan and continued on the Bank’s Boards after it merged to become Crossland Savings and Metropolitan Savings Bank. Pete served on the Board of Directors of the Sisters of Charity: St Agatha’s Home, the New York Foundling and Seton Village in Nanuet. He served for 16 years on the St Thomas Aquinas College Board of Trustees helping to oversee the construction of the McNelis Commons dormitories. He served on the Boy Scouts of America Troop 33, Nanuet Troop Committee and was an Assistant Scout Master. He was recognized as the Mid Hudson Lumber Dealers Lumberman of the Year in 1985 and was active on their Board of Directors. He served on many industry related committees including the LMC Bermuda Insurance Co. He was on the board of the Rockland Business Association.

Pete was a regular attendee at St Aedan’s Catholic Church in Pearl River. In recent years he enjoyed Monday breakfast with the ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out) at Pancakes Plus. (recenty profiled on local news channel). Pete found time to enjoy Tuesday night basketball for over 50 years where he was known for his hustle and deadly set shot. He was a long time active member of the Rockland Country Club where he enjoyed golf and tennis. He most enjoyed the company, kinship and friendship of his fellow players. He continued to play golf and tennis until his passing. Among his tennis group he became affectionately known as “sneaky Pete” due to crazy top spin returns.

Our family was so blessed to have this man in our lives. He was a wonderful Father, Grandfather, Husband, Uncle, Mentor and Friend. He was a man who always strived to live his Christian faith. He was a man of integrity who truly cared about his co-workers and his customers. He considered everyone to beneighbors and friends. He was born in Rockland County, NY and raised his family there. He had a second home on Jensen Beach, Hutchinson Island, Florida with an amazing community of friends. He was a proud Navy veteran and a proud graduate of the College of the Holy Cross.

He was married to the beautiful, talented city girl Denise Duross for 66 years. We never heard them utter a cross word to each other. So different but they complemented each other and completed each other. Pete is reunited with “his lady” once again.

Pete was predeceased by his wife Denise in 2020, his parents Laurence and Ellen, his son Michael who passed as an infant in 1958 and his sisters Anne Beckerle and Joan Quinn and brothers in law: Jerry Quinn, Frank Mascola, Robert Kelly, Charles Duross and nephew Jimmy Mascola. He is survived by sons Laurence III, Stephen (Breda), Michael Charles (Maureen), and Matthew (Laura). Grandpa Pete cherished his grandchildren and is fondly remembered by Emma (Ryan) who is expecting the first great grand, Kristine, Brian, Julia, and by Patrick, Daniel and Catherine and their mother Jean. He is survived by his beloved sister Mary Alice”Marcey”Mascola of West Nyack and sister-in-law Suzanne Kelly of Westhampton Beach as well as 20 nieces and nephews and their significant others who all loved Uncle Pete. He will be forever grateful for the friendship and love of niece, neighbor and fellow birthday celebrant Joan Ellen and her husband Pete.

Pete truly liked people. He liked to make people laugh and he loved to laugh. He enjoyed life. We will miss his wit and wisdom. Dad, we never said it enough but we love you and will miss you very much. Raise a toast to the beautiful sunset and toast to Pete and Denise reunited again. Your life is “it’s a Wonderful Life”.

In Lieu of Flowers donations to: Nanuet Rotary Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 281, Nanuet, NY 10954-0281 or The Elmwood Community Playhouse, 10 Park Street, Nyack, NY 10965

Source: Joseph W. Sorce Funeral Home, Inc.