Julian 'Duke'
Robert Petrek, 87
SMYRNA, DE - Julian "Duke" Robert Petrek passed away Tuesday, December 13, 2022.
He was born September 16, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to the late John Julian Petrek and Dorothy Hughes.
Mr. Petrek was born and raised in Milwaukee until he enlisted in the Air Force in 1953. While stationed in Dover, he met his wife of 65 years, they married in 1957. He was mainly stationed in Dover with tours of duty in Vietnam, Hawaii, and Maine, among other places. After retiring in 1973, he tried his hand at plumbing for a short amount of time, then hired on at the NAPA Distribution Center in Middletown, DE, retiring as General Manager from there after 20 years. After his second retirement, he worked part time for the town of Smyrna and at the Smyrna NAPA location delivering automotive parts.
Mr. Petrek is survived by his loving wife, Marion "Petee" Petrek of Smyrna, Delaware; his children, Curtiss Petrek (Joyce) of Powell, Ohio, and Sherri Ihle (Richard) of Rosedale, Maryland; his brother, Terry Allen Friend (Pat) of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; his sister, Darlene Frances Wiedman of Littleton, Colorado; and his grandchildren, Brian Petrek of Indianapolis, Indiana; and Jordan Walsh (Patrick) of Haughton, Louisiana.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at Torbert Funeral Chapel, 1145 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, Delaware starting at 1 p.m. Friends may visit one hour prior. Interment will be held at Glenwood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Delaware Hospice Center, Milford, Delaware.
To send letters of condolence, and sign the guestbook, visit www.torbertfuneral.com