" The Man, The Myth, The Legend "

These words encapsulate the exceptional life that Peter Joseph Gentile "P apasun" lived.  It was full of adventure and intrigue.  He loved life and he lived it unafraid, unashamed and uninhibited . Peter Joseph Gentile's life began on June 7, 1939 in the Mediterranean Island of Sicily .  He was one of three children born to immigrant parents, Michael and Margaret ( Maranto) Gentile.

Peter was educated in Somerville Trade School where he earned a degree in Interior Designing.  He then joined the Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC), later enlisting and serving in the United States Army . He had an extensive work career which began when he was only five years of age .  He worked at the Haymarket , in Boston's North End , delivering produce and groceries in his wagon for a nickel.  He also shined shoes for ten cents. As a teenager, he worked on fishing boats.  Peter was also an entrepreneur, owning a bar, a restaurant, two farms, a produce sto r e , a trucking company , as well as a ca b company. His drive and work ethic p ositioned him in the c ircles of well-known celebrities such as Cher.  He was her personal limo driver when she made the movie " Mermaids ." He also drove the ammunition truck for the movie "Glory" and worked with Mat t hew Broderick . He was a man not afraid of work . He lived by his own set of rules.  After retiring from the United States Postal Service, he re-entered the workforce , eventually retiring again for a second time.

Some noteworthy things about Peter: He was Roman Catholic .  Being a Vietnam v eteran, he was a dedicated member of t he Rolling Thunder, which was a motorcycle group for veterans .  A true patriot, Peter volunteered his time and service every Memorial Day to go with his motorcycle group to Washington, D.C. to do charity work.  On one particular event , he worked security for Frank Sinatra's daughter. He also donated to St. Jude and The Wounded Warrior Project.

Peter was very handsome, happily and vainly displaying his full head of hair .  This lad ies' man was well known as "The Italian Stallion ."  He loved to love the ladies.  As his grandchildren well know (because they helped him), his dating app is filled with pictures of him lai n across his mustang shirtless.  His love life was just as adventurous as the other areas of his life.

Peter was also characterized as funny, sarcastic , real big on "thank yous" and cards , as well as very protective of his family.  He was also very stubborn and outspoken .  He wasn't shy at expressing his extreme aversion for people who, in his eyes, outlandishly ate with their forks upside down . It's a lso interesting to note that although Peter owned seven cats, he ironically hated animals . Peter never missed a beat . Included among his t eenage escapades, was him sneak ing out of his bedroom window to go dancing. He loved Motown and the oldies. He was also culinari ly inclined. He made the best onion/pepper/potato frittatas. Peter could get the knots out of anything, and his ironing skills were impeccable! He got his nickname, "Papasun" from an Asian neighbor he endearingly called "Mamasun." Being the character he was, h e loved to say , when people asked how he was , "Very poorly, thanks for asking . " There were also a couple of rumors floating around about Peter .  Rumor has it that it's not clear if it was the cancer that killed him (or was the cause of his demise), but it could easily have been a shortage of Anisette.  Rumor also has it that Peter may have been the one to blame for any reported coin shortage in the U.S.

Peter was a self-proclaimed "man of leisure."  He lived his life free of constraints .  He slept until noon, waking to watch Judge Judy and Judge Joe Brown .  He also loved football, fishing shows and family feud .  He enjoyed going to the Foxhill Yach t Club , where he shared stories, had a couple of beers and told a few lies. One of Peter's greatest enjoymen ts was traveling.  He especially loved traveling with his daughter, Trisha .  She was the undisputed love of his life, his best friend , his favorite child, the one he drove crazy, as well as the "apple of his eye." He lived with her for all forty-five years of her life.  She was his caregiver , along with the help of his former wife, Linda, until he died .

Peter departed this life on Monday, June 27, 2022 .  He lived an interesting, eventful and adventurous life.  He will truly be missed.

He was predeceased by his sister, Lor raine Downey, son, Scott DeRosa and daughter, Diane O'Keefe .

He leaves to cherish his memory: daughter, Trisha Gentile-Stefanowski , s on in law , Scott Stefanowski and their children, Angelica Gentile, Brianna Peelor (Brianna's daughter , Peter's great granddaughter, Nevaeh Kane), Michael Peelor and Peter Stefanowski ; his former wife and caregiver , Linda Gentile and his son and buddy, Joel ; granddaughter, April and her husband, Scott Howard , along with their children, Connor and Heidi Howard ; brother, Michael Gentile; his best friend for about fifty years, Richard Natarelli ; his favorite cousin , Connie Mara ; and a host of other family, relatives and friends.

Peter leaves us with these final words of wisdom : " If you are not true to your teeth, they will be false to you. "