Peter Cross, 77, passed away April 29, 2021, at Havenwood Nursing Center in Concord, New Hampshire.
Peter was born the son of the late Leo and Ruth (Genaway) Cross. He was a Hunterdon County native. Peter received a Navy ROTC scholarship to the University of Minnesota where he was active with the YMCA and supported civil rights in the early 1960s. Pete married his high school sweetheart, Charlotte, immediately after graduation.
After college Pete joined the Navy and spent five years flying Sikorsky SH-3D “Sea King” helicopters in squadron HS3. His mission was tracking Russian submarines in the North Atlantic during the cold war. He was also on the fleet commander’s staff. He loved flying and the camaraderie of the squadron. He lost four good friends during his years in the Navy due to accidents at sea.
When he finished his first tour, Peter was headed to test pilot school but gave up a Naval career for family; he wanted a close relationship with his children which Naval deployments wouldn’t allow. He left the service at the rank of lieutenant commander.
For the next 38 years Pete worked in the financial services industry in New York, Boston and Indiana. He ran his own firm, Delta Financial Associates in Red Bank, for the last 15 years of his career where he created long term care insurance products that remain best in class today. Peter also received an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business in 1982.
Pete and Charlotte lived in Red Bank, Oceanport and Tinton Falls for a total of close to 20 years and moved to Peterborough, New Hampshire, to be near their daughters shortly before retirement.
Pete had an adventuresome spirit. He was always stretching the limits of what he could do and was interested in learning about new things. Family time was canoeing down the Delaware River at spring flood, hiking and backpacking in the Catskills, riding motorcycles cross-country and flying small airplanes whenever possible. He was thrilled to be a grandfather and took great joy in “no-rules” weekends and trips with his grandchildren throughout the northeast.
Pete’s faith grew throughout his life and served as his guiding light. He was a devoted Christian and active in the Episcopal Church. While in Peterborough Pete served two terms on the Episcopal diocese of New Hampshire Commission on Ministry and mentored seminarian candidates during their progress toward ordination.
Pete also loved photography throughout his life. He had a discerning eye for beauty in the little things. In retirement Pete combined his love of photography with his faith and created beautiful reflections that combined a picture with scripture and inspirational messages which he shared freely.
He is survived by his wife Charlotte of Concord, New Hampshire; his sister Aliceann Carlton of Terry, Montana; two daughters, Karin Cross-Powers of Candia New Hampshire and Debbie Cross of North Conway, New Hampshire; as well five grandchildren, Katie Cross-Powers of Concord, Ali Cross-Powers of Candia, and Alexia Green, Cheyenne Lyons and Arien Fortin of North Conway.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 23 at Grace Episcopal Church, 30 Eastman St., Concord, New Hampshire; the service will be outside in-person as well as broadcast on Zoom at us02web.zoom.us/j/87330567614.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation at alzfdn.org or Grace Episcopal Church at 30 Eastman St., Concord, NH 03301.
The article originally appeared in the May 13 – 19, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
