Obituary of Peter V. Dobrow

Peter V. Dobrow, 82, passed away peacefully at sunrise on Sat., March 1, 2025, surrounded by his family. Peter, widely known as Pete, Dad, Grandpa, and Uncle Pete/Cousin Pete to many, was born on March 5, 1942, in Maspeth, Queens. He spent parts of his childhood in Queens; Kodiak, Alaska; and Jacksonville, Florida, before settling down for the next 67 years on Staten Island- 53 of them pridefully in Travis. He attended Port Richmond High School where he met his sweetheart and future wife, Chickie, before attending the City College of New York (CCNY). Pete dedicated his professional life to technology working as a computer system technician. He started his career after college at IBM, where he honed his skills and contributed to various technological advancements in the early days of computing. From there, he spent three-plus decades at a large computer firm lasting through many mergers and acquisitions- a testament to his value and loyalty- traversing New Jersey and the country fixing everything from medical equipment that saved lives, to complex computer mainframes. His passion for problem solving and fixing things (a.k.a., tinkering) extended into his personal life, where he was always taking on and/or inventing new projects around the house and truly enjoyed the challenge of them. His main hobby though was ham radio. Licensed as K2IQK- displayed proudly on his car license plate- he achieved the highest level of ham radio operator, which enabled him to communicate with thousands of fellow operators across the far corners of the world, taking particular joy when he connected with those in remote areas or obscure islands. Pete was also an avid fan of chess and board games, namely Scrabble, and enjoyed watching "Jeopardy" on TV. He liked driving and taking road trips, and loved going to Florida. A friendly, kind, and helpful man, Pete was a gentle soul who talked with everyone and was loved by many. His wife's cooking was among his favorite indulgences, a testament to the simple pleasures that filled his life. Pete is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Josephine; and their children, Joyce, Peter Jr., and Lisa. He was a proud grandfather to Corrin, Ava, Johnny, and Nate. He is also survived by his brother, Joe. His family was the cornerstone of his life, providing him with joy and fulfillment. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Helen. The viewing will be held at Matthew Funeral Home, 2508 Victory Blvd., on Thursday., March 6, from 3-5pm and 7-9pm. A service will follow on Friday at Our Lady of Pity Catholic Church, 1616 Richmond Ave., at 10am. He will then be laid to rest at Resurrection Cemetery, 361 Sharrott Ave., all on Staten Island. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society in his honor.