Longtime North Massapequa resident and West Babylon teacher Matteo V. Petrera died September 17, 2008 in Maryland after an illness. The 73 year old, affectionately called "Mr. P" by his students, was a history teacher and guidance counselor in the high school for 30 years until he retired.

"Everywhere we went people knew him," said his wife of 48 years, Jocelyn who said he was a loving family man.

"He said he knew it was time to retire after he started teaching his former students' grandchildren. In fact, the schools and many residents in West Babylon had their flags flown at half staff in his honor the day of his funeral."

His family came from Bari, Gioia de Colle in Italy and settled in Harlem, where he was raised. He resided in the Bronx before moving to Maria Court in North Massapequa and lived there for 46 years.

After his retirement from the schools in the '90s, he missed it so much that every Friday he would meet his former colleagues and friends at a West Babylon diner for breakfast, according to his wife.

He was a proud Deputy Grand Knight with the Knights of Columbus, Delaney Council, a member of the Sons of Italy and a longtime lay minister with the St. James Church in Seaford who visited the sick and offered the Eucharist. He was an avid deer hunter and founder of the MVP Hunt Club in Quantico, Maryland.

Mr. Petrera leaves behind his children: Dr. Pasquale and his wife Kathleen of Maryland, Anthony and his wife Jacqueline of North Massapequa and Theresa Fullan and her husband Peter of Massapequa: his grandchildren: Matteo, Peter, Marianne and Jocelyn Fullan and Matteo, James, Patrick, Vincent, Gianna, Ciara, Talia, Peter and Matteo Petrera; and many other loved ones.

He reposed at the Fredrick J. Chapey & Sons Funeral Home, Bethpage, on Sept. 20 and 21, 2008. A Celebration of the Liturgy of Christian Burial was said

at St. James Church, Seaford, on Sept. 22, 2008. Interment followed in St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.