Peter John Berlute

peter berlute

Peter J. Berlute Peter J. Berlute, age 94, of Edgewater, passed away on November 9, surrounded by his children and pastor. The son of Italian immigrants, Pete was born on September 6, 1921, and was raised in Trenton, New Jersey, during the Great Depression. After his family lost their home and business during the Depression, he worked a number of odd jobs during his youth, including shoe-shining and vegetable picking. He showed remarkable artistic talent, and his teenage job as a sign painter would have particular significance later in life. After turning down a scholarship to art school because his family could not afford to go without a paycheck, Pete took a job as a mechanic in the aircraft industry. The U.S. government subsequently recruited him to work on a secret aircraft development project at the start of World War II. He was then drafted by the Army Air Corps and selected for an aircraft maintenance engineering and Officer Training course at Yale University. Pete met his beloved wife Loucille in 1944, when he was stationed at Lowery Air Force base. After Pete's discharge from the Army Air Corps, he began working at the Coca Cola Company as a sign painter, painting many of the advertisements on buildings and billboards that were so popular in the 1950s. During his 38-year career at Coca Cola, he managed advertising, developed promotions, managed and scripted a radio show called the Coca Cola HiFi Club, and eventually became a marketing manager. In the early years of professional sports in Denver, Pete was an active and enthusiastic booster. He promoted the Denver Bears, Broncos, and Spurs, and was on the Broncos Quarterback Club's Board of Directors for 12 years, beginning in 1962. Pete was a detailed and skilled craftsman. He and Loucille, largely by themselves, built the home in Edgewater where they subsequently raised their four children. He was active in the community and served as a Scoutmaster in his sons' Boy Scout troops. After retirement, he delighted in Italian cooking and in his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren. His family members living in Minnesota looked forward to his annual visits. Deeply faithful, Pete was active at the Wheat Ridge Congregational Church and especially enjoyed his work with the men's club. He and a group of friends, who called themselves the Breakfast Club, were weekly regulars at the IHOP Restaurant in Arvada for 21 years. Pete is preceded in death by his wife Loucille. He is survived by children Pam, Bob (Margy), Greg, and Kristine; grandchildren Curtis (Michele), Pete (Meggen), Nicolle (James), Tara (Jeremy), and Paul (Amanda); and great-grandchildren Connor, Donovan, Lauren, Abby, Adrian, Sami, and Peyton.

Service
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
1:00 PM 11/17/2015 1:00:00 PM
Wheat Ridge Congregational Church, United Church of Christ

6310 West 29th Avenue
Wheat Ridge, CO 80214

Wheat Ridge Congregational Church, United Church of Christ
6310 West 29th Avenue Wheat Ridge 80214 CO
United States
Location

Arvada Cemetery Final Resting Place

5581 Independence
Arvada, CO 80002

5581 Independence Arvada 80002 CO
United States

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