Peter William Sachs

1939 - 2023

Peter William Sachs

March 20, 1939 - November 19, 2023

His family mourns the passing of Peter William Sachs of Smith Mountain Lake, Va., who passed on Sunday, November 19, 2023, after a long battle with cancer.

Peter was born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 20, 1939. He was the first son of George and Thelma Sachs of Maplewood, New Jersey. He attended public schools, where he proved to be an excellent student, and went on to graduate from both Williams College in Massachusetts and Yale Law School in Connecticut.

After graduation, he went into the United States Air Force as a weather observer and transferred to the Navy when a position became available in the Judge Advocate General's Office. By the end of his time in the military, he reached the rank of Lieutenant. Upon finishing his military career, he joined his father's law firm in Newark, New Jersey.

After finding the love of his life he married Beverly Hoskins and they settled in central New Jersey to start their life together and raise a family. His first child, Robert, was born in 1966 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Shortly after their next child, Andrew, was born in 1969, they moved to a larger home in Colts Neck, New Jersey. One of the greatest joys in his life was his family.

While practicing law, he became the municipal court Judge in his hometown of Colts Neck, NJ. His commitment to community service, honesty, fairness, and the law led him to become a trusted advisor, respected jurist and a valuable part of the community.

In his free time, Peter was an avid reader and spent much of his time with his family. He also loved to fly as a private pilot. In his high winged Cessna, he became an instrument-qualified pilot with over 12,000 hours of flight time. He and Beverly spent years flying extensively both near and far, traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada. He also enjoyed traveling commercially both domestically and overseas, particularly after the family was grown.

At age 58, Peter and Beverly built their dream home and retired to Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. He continued flying for many years and enjoyed boating on the lake with his wife and family. Peter felt he had had a good life in which he both loved and was loved by those with whom he came in contact.

He is survived by his wife, Beverly; his sons, Robert and Andrew; his brother, Robert; and his grandchildren, Liz, Danny, Peter, and Betsy.

A small family service will be held in the Spring of 2024. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests a donation be made to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org. Condolences may be expressed at www.Oakeys.com.

Arrangements by Oakey's East Chapel and Crematory, Roanoke, VA (540) 977-3909.