David Alan Petras, of Yarmouth Port, MA, passed away peacefully on May 2, 2023, surrounded by many loving family members. David was born in Binghamton, NY, on November 18, 1939, the son of August Petras and Anastasia Klimow Petras. Raised in Binghamton, he enjoyed a wonderful childhood in a close-knit Slovakian community, surrounded by a large family of aunts, uncles and cousins, and many life-long friends. He played Little League Baseball, and at Binghamton Central High School he played football and was a member of the swim team, graduating in 1958.

Toward the end of his Senior year at Rutgers University, where he majored in American Studies, he toured the Scandinavian countries with The Rutgers Glee Club, and then spent the rest of the Summer of 1962 backpacking through Europe with Frommer’s Europe on 5 Dollars a Day guidebook, gathering stories that would last the rest of his life. The following summer, after his first year of teaching, he applied to be a Community Ambassador with the Experiment in International Living Program and was sent to Nigeria. Upon his return he had many speaking engagements to share his experiences of the African country with those back home.

After meeting his future wife Becky in 1964, he attended Syracuse University earning a Master's Degree in School Psychology. They married in 1967 and moved to Auburn, NY, to raise their three children — Jennifer, Matthew and Meghan. While living in Auburn, he worked for 34 years for Cayuga County B.O.C.E.S.,working as a School Psychologist.

The family, who had a great fondness for the outdoors, enjoyed cross-country skiing and many memorable camping and hiking trips. In 1998, Dave and Becky relocated to Cape Cod, where he worked as a School Psychologist for both Chatham and Falmouth school districts until his retirement in 2005.

Dave will be remembered by all who knew him for his sense of humor, always having a funny story, joke, or pun for every occasion. His creativity showed in his woodworking, cooking, and later when he and Becky took up painting. He was immensely interested and proud of all his children and grandchildren, and was a very hardworking, generous, and loving husband, father, and grandfather. He will be greatly missed by all. Dave is survived by his wife, Becky, his daughters Jennifer Dennis (Will), and Meghan Petras (Ivin Ballen), all of Brooklyn, N.Y., and son, Matthew Petras (Erika) of Thousand Oaks, Ca., as well as five grandchildren: Jack and Gabe Dennis, Xander and Liam Petras and Barbara Ballen, as well as his brother Daniel Petras (Beverly), of Punta Gorda, Fl. and several cousins, sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews, as well as many good friends.

The family wishes to thank all of the wonderful caregivers at Cape Cod Hospital, Liberty Commons, and The Visiting Nurses, for all their special care over the years. You are true angels.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to The Cape Cod Times Needy Fund, or to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands.

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