Peter E. Newlander Obituary (1950 - 2018)

Mr. Peter E. Newlander, 67, died suddenly at his home in Verona on January 8, 2018. Visiting in the Prout Funeral Home, (www.proutfuneralhome.com) 370 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona will be on Thursday from 4 to 7 pm. A Funeral Mass will be offered in St. Catherine of Siena Church, Cedar Grove on Friday at 10:00 am with repast to follow. Born in Penn Yan, NY, Mr. Newlander moved a lot in his lifetime, finally settling in Verona 15 years ago. He was fascinated by Verona's History and especially the historic houses in the area. He was also fascinated by ghost stories and legends and his first house in Verona almost made it on an episode of Ghost Hunters - until he got concerned about the effect that might have on the resale value. He graduated from South Plainfield High School in 1968. He was the Senior Class President, played on the Varsity Football Team, and was a member of the band where he played the trombone. He played in the NJ All-State Band as a Senior. Peter put himself through college working full time and taking classes and eventually earned a Bachelor's Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Psychology, which lead many to affectionately call him Doc. He worked for most of his life as a computer programmer. He was self-employed for his entire career - but consulted for many companies, sometimes several at a time - including AT&T, MTV, Becton-Dickinson, Valley Hospital, Emerson Radio, and most recently NYK Shipping (and probably many others). He took pride in his work. Pete was a man who lit up the room when he walked in - he made friends easily, and was easy to talk to and to like. He encouraged the best in the people around him. He had a distinct sense of humor - and could always make a joke about any given situation. He had a knack with animals and children - all of his nieces and nephews adored him and his grandkids all had a special place in their heart for their Papa. He loved dogs, and they loved him too - he owned many throughout his life. He loved music - he played the guitar and banjo throughout his life - especially folk songs and sometimes the blues. He also loved to garden with his wife. Mr. Newlander was predeceased by his parents Wallace and Jane (nee Christensen) Newlander, and less than a year ago by his beloved wife Mary Mullarkey. He died of a broken heart. He is survived by his daughters, Katrina Munteanu (Adrian) and Kelsey Newlander (Brian); grandchildren, Cristian and Luca Munteanu, Lilyana Straway and Brayden Wynne; his brothers, Philip and Timothy Newlander; and his late wife's four children, Jacqueline, Jenniffer, Charles, Anthony and five grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations to Verona P.B.A. Local 72, P.O. Box 72, Verona, NJ