Obituaries

Mr. Peter Anthony Appeddu, devoted husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully on February 11, 2025, at the age of 92 within Oxford Springs assisted living facility in Weatherford, OK. Peter was born on July 25, 1932, in Rome, Italy, to Pietro and Margherita Appeddu. With World War II looming, his father, a naturalized citizen of the United States, settled his family in Toledo, Ohio.

Peter’s passion for the arts began early in life. He fondly recalled attending Saturday morning art classes and free afternoon movies with his friend at the Toledo Museum of Art from third grade through high school. Peter learned to play the accordion in kindergarten, and he later played clarinet in the high school marching band, which gained local notoriety by performing at Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns home games. He was selected as a bassoonist for the Toledo Junior Symphony Orchestra, and he joined a band (The Paul Mabie Orchestra) as a saxophonist, performing with classmates at proms, parties, weddings, and dances around Toledo. Later in life, Peter was a patron of the Toledo and Perrysburg Symphony Orchestras and member of the St. Rose choir. To the very end, he enjoyed listening to classical and big band music.

As an “only child” in an Italian-speaking household, Peter learned English through neighborhood friends. He credited wonderful teachers for helping him expand his English vocabulary, as well as his immigrant parents for instilling an appreciation for education. In high school, Peter earned salutatorian and was awarded a full college scholarship through his performance on the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) exam. Peter initially pursued Industrial Engineering at Columbia University but ultimately majored in Business Statistics at the University of Michigan, where he took as many engineering electives as the business school permitted.

Upon graduation, Peter was commissioned to the USS Albany, flagship heavy cruiser for the Atlantic Battleship/Cruiser Fleet. His first tour was to the Mediterranean Sea, providing the opportunity to visit relatives in Rome that he had not seen since infancy. At the end of his commission, he left the naval reserve at the rank of Lieutenant. Although his service years only numbered three, Peter had friends and shared memories from these navy experiences throughout his life.

Peter returned to academic studies under the GI Bill and earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Michigan. With this background, he worked as a Systems Engineer for IBM Corporation in Toledo, formed a consulting/software development company, and served ten years at The Ohio Citizens Trust Company, where he was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Data Processing and Vice President of Bank Operations. Eventually, Peter joined NCR Corporation (later AT&T) where he remained until his retirement in 1996. During his time with NCR, he parlayed his systems engineering expertise and banking experience to improve and modernize the operations of banks across northern Ohio and Michigan. Peter was promoted to Major Accounts Manager and earned many accolades as a salesman.

It was at the University of Michigan that Peter met the love of his life, Joanne, who would become his wife. From an immigrant family herself, Joanne shared the same values of education, hard work, and self-improvement, plus his love of travel. They were married in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1961, living first in Toledo and later in Perrysburg, OH. Peter and Joanne had three children together and took tremendous pride in their family’s personal, academic, and professional successes.

Peter is survived by his son Paul Appeddu of Houston, TX; daughter Lisa Appeddu and her husband Jason Johnson, of Weatherford, OK; grandson Philip Appeddu, of Plano, TX; and granddaughter Gabrielle Appeddu and her husband Douglas Velasco, of Houston, TX. He was preceded in death by his wife Joanne (Haisch) Appeddu, daughter Teresa (Appeddu) Treadwell, daughter-in-law Vivian (Encarnacion) Appeddu, and his parents Pietro and Margherita (Prosperi) Appeddu.

Friends will be received from 3 to 6 PM on Thursday, February 20, at the Witzler-Shank-Walker Funeral Home, 222 E. South Boundary St., Perrysburg, OH (419)-874-3133, where a rosary will be recited at 6 PM that evening. A Funeral Mass for Peter will be held at 11 AM on Friday, February 21, in St. Rose Catholic Church in Perrysburg with the Rite of Committal following immediately at St. Rose Cemetery, where Peter will be buried with his wife and near his daughter. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Peter Appeddu to St. Rose Church, www.saintroseonline.org, or to the Toledo Museum of Art, toledomuseum.org.

Condolences may be made online to the family at www.walkerfuneralhomes.com.