Peter C. Pumyea Jr. ’37

Pete Pumyea, who died July 20, 2000, came to Princeton from Lawrenceville but left at the end of freshman year, having been a monitor during the history lecture period and a program salesman.

He worked for Sheffield Farms Co. for five years and then a year with Otis Elevator Co. before he was drafted in 1943 and racked up one of our outstanding service records, in bomb disposal. After preliminary training he was transferred to the European Theater of Operations, traveling through central Europe, northern France, and the Rhineland, ending up in Regensburg, Germany. He received three campaign stars and was given the Silver Star for gallantry in action against the enemy in Germany. He came out unscathed as a technical sergeant in 1946.

He decided not to return to either of his companies but set himself up as a life insurance agent in Brooklyn, living in New York, with the side interest of philatelist. He was then with Prudential Insurance Co. until he retired in 1979.

Pete married Louise in 1938 but was predeceased, leaving him with sons Peter III and Fred.

The Class of 1937