Peter James Hart Feb. 20, 1933-Jan. 14, 2023

Peter James Hart was born on February 20, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, where he was raised by his mother, Lillian Walker Hart, and his grandfather, Otto Walker, after the untimely passing of his father, Peter J. Hart, in 1935. He attended Stuyvesant High School and City College of New York, graduating in 1955 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Peter married Marie E. Schapfel in New York City on September 25, 1955, beginning a partnership that would grow and strengthen for over five decades. He was the much-loved and admired father of Peter J. Hart, Jr. (Stephanie) and Susan Hart Malin (Hank), and an incomparable grandfather to Annamarie and Peter J. Hart III and Andrew and Patrick Malin. After losing Marie to cancer in 2010, Peter was blessed to find a new companion in life’s adventures. He has been happily married to Maxine Filler Rhodes since February 2012. A born leader, incisive thinker, creative problem-solver, supportive mentor, and dedicated public servant, Peter leaves a legacy of success in college teaching, industry, and community. He earned an M.B.A. from Loyola University and an M.L.A. from Johns Hopkins University, both achieved while working full time. His early military service led to a business career in Baltimore, and then Altoona/Hollidaysburg, where he moved with his family in 1975. Among the employers to whom he contributed his prodigious talents were the Fifth Avenue Coach Company, the New Haven Railroad, American Car and Foundry, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, Berwind Railway Services, and Indiana University of PA. He retired from Altoona Pipe and Steel as President and CEO in 1998 after twenty years with the company. A well-known figure in Hollidaysburg public life, Peter served with distinction on the Frankstown Sewer Authority, the Frankstown Board of Supervisors, and the Hollidaysburg School Board. He was enthusiastically involved with local Republican Party activities, a long-time member of the Rotary Club of Altoona and Tip Clubs, and Chair of the Altoona SCORE chapter. Accomplished and respected in everything he undertook, yet encouraging, kind, and generous to all he encountered, Peter enriched family, friends, and community. Memories of his peerless sense of humor, colorful stories, and unwaveringly positive outlook sustain us in our time of loss. The family would like to thank Peter’s medical providers, and the Grane Hospice Care team who provided support and comfort during his final illness. Friends will be received on Sunday, January 22, 2023 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. at The Stevens Mortuary, Inc., 1421 Eighth Ave., Altoona, PA. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 23, 2023 in the Stevens Memorial Chapel by Msgr. Stanley Carson. Memorials may be made to the Railroaders Memorial Museum/www.railroadcity.org or 1200 9th Ave., Altoona, PA 16602 or to a charity of your choice. Condolences can be offered at www.stevensfamilyfuneralhomes.com or Stevens Family Funeral Homes Facebook.