Peter J. Tritak

Peter Tritak, age 81, died suddenly on July 9th in Clifton at home. He was pre-deceased by his parents Mildred (nee Cavallo) and Peter, a sister Mildred Winters, a younger brother Robert, and his only child Peter Scott. He is survived by his sisters Elizabeth Kearney of Paterson, Paula Kearney and Dr. Ann Tritak-Elmiger of Toms River, New Jersey. From his longtime companion, Carol who succumbed to cancer, he was proud to be called “Grandpa Pete” by five very special grandchildren. He was a wonderful uncle to several nieces, nephews, grand nieces, and grand nephews. Peter was well known in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) as half of the power team of Tritak & Morgan, owners of War Wagon, a car that won many championship titles during the 1960s and 1970s. In 2015, Peter and Billy Morgan (posthumously) were inducted into the Legion of Honor, the highest honor in the racing arena.  His business Tritak Performance was a well-known establishment on Lexington Avenue in Clifton for over 55 years. He will be missed by those seeking advice about their high-performance racing engines; by those who seeking a solution for their cars not getting cold enough on very hot days; and by his sisters who called seeking answers to questions that only a brother could supply. A memorial service will take place in the northern part of the state and one in the Toms River area so family and friends can pray for and celebrate Peter’s life when possible. For those who would like to make a donation in his remembrance, the family is asking that donations be made to the Mildred Tritak Memorial Fund for Nursing at Saint Peter’s University. 2641 Kennedy Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07306.  Peter assisted Ann to physically “assemble equipment” for the learning/simulation lab at the University when she was the Dean of Nursing at Saint Peter’s and was very proud of her work there.

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