Barbara Petry

Barbara Petry, a lifelong resident of Milltown, went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Friday, October 9, 2026 at St. Peter’s Hospital in New Brunswick. She was 85 years old. Born in Somerville, NJ, she lived in Milltown all of her life.

She worked at the Milltown SACC Program, the Before and After School Child Care, where she was known as Miss Barbara. She was a lifelong member of St. Paul’s Church in Milltown, and also a Sunday School teacher for over 50 years. She was a member of the Milltown Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, where her husband and sons served as firemen.

Barbara was known as a Milltown Historian with her lifelong memories of Milltown and loved to share her knowledge on Remembering Milltown Facebook page. In her earlier years, Barbara was a homemaker, raising her children and spent her time making home-made chocolates, baking and decorating birthday, wedding and holiday cakes and cookies for local families, organizations and events. She also enjoyed making hand-made crafts for St. Paul’s Church bazars and various craft shows; painting ceramics, antiquing, flea markets and garage sales. She was a huge Elvis fan and had an extensive memorabilia collection. She enjoyed many nights playing Bingo with her mother and daughter. She was a NASCAR fan and loved watching and routing for her favorite drivers, Dale Earnhardt, Jr and William Byron.

As she begins her life anew in God’s Eternal Kingdom, Heaven, we will remember her as a most loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister-in-law, aunt and friend. We are confident that she was met by Jesus and a welcoming committee of those she so dearly loved who left us too soon. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her. She left behind a lot of beautiful memories of love and a giving heart. She treasured her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren immensely and more than anything loved the time spent with family and family gatherings, which meant the most to her.

She is predeceased by her husband William H. Petry, Sr. (d. 2001), her son William H. Petry, Jr. (d. 2010), her daughter Diane M. Kuzma (d. 2021), and her mother and dad, Gertrude (Jensen) Bailey and Robert Bailey, and her father Jim Mundy.

Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law David and Julie Petry of Milltown, her grandchildren, Frank Petry (Katelynne) of North Carolina, Robert Petry of Pennsylvania, Rebecca Petry of Pennsylvania, and Heather Kuzma (Josh) of Milltown; her daughter-in-law Debra Petry of Pennsylvania, her son-in-law George Kuzma of Milltown, and her great-grandchildren Henry, Ella and Laura. As well as her sisters-in-law, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelations 21:4

Services and burial at Van Liew Cemetery will be a private family service under the direction of The Crabiel Home for Funerals, 170 N Main St.-at Riva Avenue, Milltown. You may sign the online condolence “guestbook” at www.crabiel.com

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Milltown Fire Department, the Milltown Rescue Squad or St. Peter’s Hospital spfoundation@saintpetersuh.com.