CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Peter Barretta Jr., 89, of Charlottesville, Va., died Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, after an extended illness.
Col. Barretta, a former resident of Waynewood, a community in the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria, Va., was born Feb. 28, 1920, in Meadville, the oldest son of the late Rosalia and Pietro Barretta.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Edna G. Barretta of Charlottesville, Va.; and three sisters, Elizabeth Sturm of Huntington, W.Va., Marilyn Barisano of Nahant, Mass., and Cira Barretta of Arlington, Va.
He is survived by his four children, Dr. Rosalie G. Barretta of Falling Waters, W.Va., Elizabeth M. Barretta-Davis and her husband, Reggie, of Earlysville Va., Peter A. Barretta III of Port Deposit Md., and Patricia F. Steele and her husband, Robert, along with their children, Marcus and Josephine Steele, of Chapel Hill, N.C.; his two sisters, Rosalie Fera of Meadville, and Anne Ambrose and her husband, Leedy, of Manassas, Va.; and his four brothers, Sam and Joe Barretta of Venice, Fla., Ben Barretta and his wife, Pat, of Meadville, and Anthony Barretta and his wife, Patti, of Crozet, Va.; along with many nieces and nephews.
Col. Barretta was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, the Dominican Republic revolt and the Vietnam War, serving more than 28 years in the Air Force before retiring in 1970. Col. Barretta was proud of his service to his country and was awarded numerous medals and commendations during his military career, including the Bronze Star.
On his retirement from the Air Force in 1970, Col. Barretta became a member of the Antarctican Society and the American Polar Society. For the next 25 years he wrote feature articles, columns and book reviews for The Icecap News and other polar journals, with an emphasis on polar aviation and scientific missions. A prolific writer, he was particularly interested in the Lost Squadron aircraft in Greenland and wrote extensively concerning the recovery efforts. Through his correspondence with scientists and explorers from many countries he amassed an extensive collection of polar cachets documenting many expeditions to the Antarctica.
After living in the Alexandria area for more than 40 years, he and his wife, Edna, moved to Our Lady of Peace Retirement Community in Charlottesville in 2003.
Two viewings will be held at Demaine Funeral Home, 520 S. Washington St., Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 and Wednesday morning from 9 to 10.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 8710 Mt. Vernon Highway, Alexandria.
Final memorial services are scheduled later at Fort Myer Chapel at Arlington National Cemetery on Feb. 4 at 12:45 p.m., and a military funeral to follow.
The family requests expressions of sympathy be made in the form of contributions to the Air Force Memorial Foundation, the Disabled American Veterans or a Veterans organization of your choice.
