Peter Dacales

Peter S. Dacales, aged 95 of Waldwick, passed away on Sunday, May 28. He was born in the Oakland section of North Philadelphia, PA, to Speros and Chrisanthe Dacales of Valimitika, Greece. He attended Philadelphia public schools and graduated from the prestigious Central High of Philadelphia, earning a B.S. in Arts in 1946. Central High School is the only high school in the United States with authority to confer academic degrees upon its graduates. After graduation he attended The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and graduated in 1950 with a B.S. in Economics. Nineteen-fifty being a momentous year in his life, he married the love of his life Thelma Peters, and accepted a job with GMAC (General Motors Acceptance Corporation, a financial division of General Motors) in Upper Darby, PA. For their honeymoon Peter and Thelma took the bus to Ocean City and started off with $50 in their pockets. In 1952 Peter was drafted into the Army and completed his basic training at Camp Breckenridge in Kentucky. Afterwards he was assigned to finance school at Camp Benjamin Harrison and Thelma joined him in Indianapolis working for the IRS while he completed his coursework. Peter graduated 2nd in his class and was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division in Bad Kreuznach, as part of the Allied forces in occupied Germany.  Thelma sailed over on the Queen Mary and joined Peter and they travelled through Europe, visiting Austria, Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands. Thelma returned to the U.S. pregnant with their first child, Jeffrey, and Peter joined her back in Philadelphia after an honorable discharge in 1954. Coming back to the U.S. Peter was made accounting manager in the Upper Darby GMAC office. Their second child, Pamela, was born in 1957.

In 1958 Peter was transferred to the GMAC headquarters in NYC, eventually becoming Manager of the Overseas Accounting Unit. The family relocated to Waldwick, NJ, where they have lived for over 65 years. They joined St. Anthony’s Orthodox Christian Church in Bergenfield, N.J. He was active with managing the church’s financials for the next 50 years. He was involved with the Boy Scouts in Waldwick and served as Chairman of Troop 88 and traveled with the scouts on many excursions. Peter continued to work for GMAC until they relocated to Detroit and then took early retirement after 30 years. Shortly thereafter he became Comptroller of the Antiochian Orthodox Church of North America and worked another 30 years until full retirement at age 82. He and Thelma were very active members attending church conferences and conventions throughout the time of his work for the Church. In his early 60’s Peter completed his course work at the College of Financial Planning and became a Certified Financial Planner. He helped friends and family with financial advice and yearly tax filings into his mid 90’s. Peter also thoroughly enjoyed travel with his family, with highlights being 20 years of beach vacations to Montauk, their 50th wedding anniversary to Disney World, his 80th birthday trip to Greece to expose his grandchildren to their Greek heritage and to Wildwood Crest last fall. Peter and Thelma celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary this past April. Peter loved life, travel, friends and family. He relished his time with everyone and enjoyed their company immensely. He was particularly proud of his grandchildren’s and godson’s achievements and spoke of them often. Wherever he was, he knew the nearest bakery or sweets shop and thoroughly loved to dine out with others. His wisdom, kindness, generosity, sense of humor and caring for others will live on in those he touched over the years. Peter was predeceased by his sister Elsie Phillips and brother Constantine Dacales. He is survived by his wife, Thelma Dacales; his son Jeffrey of Stowe, VT, his daughter and her husband, Pamela and James Sietsma of Glen Rock, NJ; his grandchildren, Alexandra and her husband Dr. Steve Koh, Lauren and her husband Kenny Straub; and his great-grandchild Everett Koh.

Visitation is scheduled from 4:00 to 8:00 PM, Monday, June 5th, at Vander Plaat Funeral Home, 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ.

Church services are scheduled for 10:00 AM, Tuesday, June 6th, at St. Anthony’s Eastern Orthodox Church, 385 Ivy Lane, Bergenfield, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Peter S. Dacales to St. Anthony’s Orthodox Church.

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