John Garrit Petrasch

John Garrit Petrasch died peacefully at his home in Wellesley, MA on Monday, April 24, 2017 surrounded by his loving wife of 46 years, Lynn, family and friends. His death followed many years of battling prostate cancer. John is also survived by son John G. Petrasch, Jr. ("Jake") and wife Andrea of Warren, VT, daughter Anne Shriver Petrasch Townsend and husband Brandon of Austin, TX., grandchildren Addison Hedelind Petrasch, John Garrit Petrasch III, Caroline Shriver Townsend and sister Linda Petrasch Denison. John was born on May 16, 1939, in Mt. Kisco, NY, son of Carl Schurz Petrasch and Florence Lindsay Petrasch. He attended Rippowam School, St. Paul's School in Concord, NH and graduated from Yale University in 1961. Following Yale John attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI. and Naval Supply School in Athens, GA. He served as Assistant Supply and Disbursing Officer on the USS Hoel and Supply Officer on the USS Ingersoll. From 1965-1971 John worked for First National City Bank in NYC. He married Olivia Hedelind ("Lynn") Rutter of Darien, CT and Nantucket, MA. After living in New Canaan, CT, Lynn and John moved to Canton, CT when he accepted a position of V.P. of Hartford National Bank's International Division. When Hartford National Bank became Shawmut Bank, the family moved to Dover, where they lived for 27 years before moving to Wellesley in 2015. In Canton John served as Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of Renbrook School. In both Canton and Dover John served and supported churches he and Lynn attended as well as volunteering at Epiphany School in Dorchester, MA. John retired in 1992 and pursued his life-long love of woodworking, enrolling in the famous North Bennet Street School, joining his nephew, Mark Denison. He graduated from the Furniture and Cabinet Making Department in 1995. At this point he established Charles River Woodworks out of his barns in Dover. An avid fisherman and hunter, John traveled to various places: Canada, Alaska Chile, Belize, Bahamas and Maryland with his son and friends. He also loved fishing for blues in Nantucket and stripers in Boston harbor. John spent time working at Robin Hollow Outfitters selling high-end firearms and woodworking at Doug Jenkins Antiques . John and Lynn were longtime summer residents of Nantucket and members of the NantucketYacht Club, in addition to various local fishing and hunting organizations. A memorial service will be held in Dover at a later date with interment in Nantucket. Those wishing to honor John's memory are invited to make a contribution to two organizations that had special meaning to John: The Epiphany School, 154 Center Street., Dorchester, MA or St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church, 18 Springdale Ave., Dover, MA.