Stephen James Petrarca (Steve), passed-away on the 5th of August at his home in Plano Tx, after courageous battle with cancer.
Steve was born January 13, 1959 in Grove City, Pennsylvania to Wayne and Ann Petrarca, and grew-up in Greenville, PA. Both parents were educators, his father a coach at Thiel College and a basketball referee, which instilled in him lifelong values, a love for learning and all things athletic. He remained close to his siblings and mother through-out his entire life, and was especially close to his brother, John. In his earlier years, brothers were members of Boy Scouts of America, with Steve attending Philmont, as did his step-son Bruce, with whom he shared his memories as he helped him prepare for the adventure.
After graduating from Greenville Senior High School in 1977, he attended Westminster College where he played on the National Championship football team of 1978. He was a brother of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity where he served as President in 1979. Steve then began working in the food and service industry at Tully’s in Sharon, PA, where he became famous for his performances with a co-worker as the “Blues Brothers”. In 1982 he then moved to Dallas, Texas and began working at Cafe Gecko in Addison, where he remained for another 26 years. For many of these years, he also worked on the sidelines for the Dallas Cowboys relaying messages to the press box, validated on many occasions by Bruce and Macy who had been summoned to witness the appearance of his white tennis shoes on the screen of classic football game replays. Steve was also a fitness instructor for over a decade.
Steve loved God, and his family and friends, animals, skiing and all things fitness, being able to teach his step-daughter to ride a bike, and his step-son to drive a car. He was a food aficionado; considered himself musically gifted, a 70’s music historian (much to the dismay of his step-children), a promoter of peace, and a mentor of the christian faith to many. He was generous to a fault, loved by everyone he met, greeted everyone with a warm smile, strong embrace and infectious laugh; and brought levity to any room he entered. His beloved Beatles quote “Love is all you Need”, was the premise of how he lived his life. His bright light was but a borrowed gift, undoubtedly returned to his Creator who has prepared a special place for him, where he waits with his father Wayne along with Gus and Marcello, to one day greet all those he knew and loved.
Steve is survived by his wife, Christina Anne Jackson and two step-children Bruce and Macy Jackson, and his dog-son Checkers, Plano; his Mother, Ann Petrarca,Hermitage, PA; his brother John R. Petrarca and wife Cynthia, Denver; two sisters Anne-Rene Petrarca and her husband Morgan Smith, San Pablo, CA and Cynthia Ann Petrarca, Greenville, PA. Also surviving are his five nieces, Jay Livingston, Jenny Minchoff, Alexis Petrarca, Catherine and Helen Acemyan; as well as his nephew Luke Petrarca and great nephew Dylan Means.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p. m., Friday, August 21, 2020 Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home Chapel, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas, and will also be live streamed on the Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Facebook page and a recorded video will be available following the funeral service on Stephen’s obituary page.
In support of our local, state, and federal govt including CDC directives and to protect the physical health, safety and well-being of our community, only a limited number of family members will be allowed to attend the Funeral Service.
Those who would like to honor Stephen and show their support to his family may remain at the funeral home in your vehicle, where you can watch the live streamed service on your personal device (laptop, tablet or smartphone) or listen through a designated FM radio channel.
If lieu of flowers, friends may make a donation to, or to volunteer their time, to ASPCA.org or StJude.Org, in memory of Stephen James Petrarca. He expressed his love of animals and wishes that children and their families not experience the burdens of cancer treatment, with research continuing to alleviate their suffering.
Facebook livestream https://www.facebook.com/TurrentineJacksonMorrow/videos/310256346927125/