J. Peter Ducro
J. Peter Ducro, 78, left this world Thursday, May 12, 2011 with his loving wife and son at his side.
He was born May 24, 1932 in Ashtabula, the son of John T. and Sigrid (Johnson) Ducro and had been a lifelong Ashtabula resident.
A 1950 graduate of Ashtabula High School, he played football as one of the “four horsemen” to play in the Panther backfield and was also on the track team.
After high school, Peter went to Denison University, Granville, OH where a back injury ended his football career. There he met the love of his life, (Mary) Sue Curtis. He was also proud of his college fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, and lived his life by the motto he learned at Denison, the sentiment inscribed on the gates to the campus: “The heights of great men, reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”
Following college, Peter attended the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and returned to Ashtabula to work with his father as the fourth generation funeral director in their family business, John Ducro and Sons Funeral Home. He was always at the forefront of advanced professional education beginning with early first responder training for the Ducro Ambulance Service by studying at the Chicago Fire Academy. Memberships included: Tri-County Funeral Directors, Ohio Funeral Directors, and National Funeral Directors Associations. He was a certified Life-Member Emeritus in the Academy of Professional Funeral Practice and led his company to be recognized by the NFDA with the highest award in funeral service, the Pursuit of Excellence “Eagle”. Together with Sue, he presented many programs at the local, state, and national level (including Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center) and amassed one of the most extensive libraries on professional funeral service and bereavement. He helped start bereavement support programs including Compassionate Friends and several school Crisis Intervention Teams, was recognized as a Grief Management Specialist by the American Grief Academy, and received training in Critical Incident Stress Management.
A pillar of the community, he had served as president of the Jaycees, Exalted Ruler of the BPO Elks #208 in 1963 and 1982 (at that time the only person to hold that position twice in the history of Lodge #208), and a co-chair with his wife of the Sabin Oral Polio vaccination effort to rid our community of polio with over 1000 doses administered county-wide which received recognition by the national program followed by a measles vaccination project.
He was a founding member of the effort to establish Hospice of Ashtabula County and served on the boards of Peoples Savings and Loan, the Ashtabula County District Library, the Ashtabula Marine Museum, and the American Heart Association, and was a member of the Ashtabula Country Club. A Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, 50-year member of Rising Sun Lodge #22, F. & A.M. and Western Reserve Chapter #8 Royal Arch Masons, and life member of the Animal Protective League, he received the Ashtabula County Citizen of the Year Award in 1993, NAACP “Good Neighbor Award” in 2005, was inducted into the AHS/HHS/LHS Alumni Hall of Fame in 2007, and was recently the recipient of a proclamation from the City of Ashtabula honoring his 17 years of service to the Ashtabula City Board of Health. He was instrumental in leading Ducro Services to being recognized in 2003 with a Growth Partnership “Best of the County” Award.
An expert in Ashtabula history, his post card and photo collection is featured in books about Ashtabula history. He is credited in a History Channel film special on train disasters and was involved in the 125th anniversary commemoration of the Ashtabula Train/Bridge Disaster. He enjoyed sports and was a Cleveland fan through good times and bad. He took an interest in any activities his son participated in and became a track official for the OHSAA. He enjoyed watching the track and cross country meets his son participated in as a high school athlete and later as a coach for Ashtabula High School.
A loving husband, father, and grandfather, family was always his first priority in his life; but a close second was the families he was honored to professionally serve.
Peter’s special interests included reading, travel, classic movies, trains, chocolate, popcorn, all good restaurants, big band and jazz music, and especially good conversation and making new friends. He also loved to play Santa Claus for many years for his family and local school children.
His survivors include his beloved wife, Sue Curtis Ducro, with whom he would have celebrated 50 years of marriage this coming Thanksgiving; one son, John Peter “J.P.” Ducro IV and his wife, Margaret “Peggy” (Welch) Ducro; three granddaughters, Mary Catherine “MaryCate” Ducro, Elizabeth Ann “Lizzie” Ducro, and Sara Lynn Ducro; one sister, Carolynn Johnson (and her husband, the late Les Johnson); three nephews, Doug (Betsy), Bruce (Donna), and Mark Johnson; his cousin George (Barbara) Ducro; three adopted homeless cats (Chessie, Lovey, and Bootsie); and many wonderful friends and staff members, current and past, whom he considered part of his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Calling hours will be at the DUCRO FUNERAL SERVICES AND CREMATORY, 4524 Elm Avenue, Ashtabula from 1 to 8 P.M. on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 with the BPO Elks #208 conducting their memorial service at 8 PM.
A service will be held 11 AM on Thursday, May 19, 2011 at the DUCRO FUNERAL SERVICES AND CREMATORY. Longtime friend and professional colleague, Frank Dawson from East Liverpool, OH will officiate. Those unable to attend the funeral service may watch it via webcast through a link at www.ducro.com or at www.ducrowebcast.com. Burial will be in Edgewood Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Protective League, BPO Elks #208, or Hospice of the Western Reserve.