Petke, Jonathan
Jonathan Petke, 74, husband of Mary Hobart Petke, passed away August 3, 2021. Jon, son of the late Walter Gerhardt Petke and the late Mary Hunt Petke, was born in Gloucester, MA. He spent his youth in Bristol, CT enthusiastically playing various sports, most notably football, and graduated from Bristol Eastern High School in 1965. He scored two of the longest touchdowns in the history of the annual Thanksgiving Day Battle for the Bell between cross-town rivals Eastern and Central in the Lancers' 1964 victory and remains the only player to have two runs of over 75 yards in the same game. For this and other notable accomplishments, he was inducted into the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
Jon matriculated at Williams College where he earned his BA in Economics in 1969. He was the starting fullback on the 3rd undefeated team in the 135-year history of Williams Football leading the team to the Little Three Championship by beating Amherst in 1967. He was team captain for his senior season in 1968.
Jon was proud to serve his country as a US Marine helicopter pilot where he flew the CH-53 during his 5 years in the Marine Corps. After leaving the Marine Corps Jon moved to Southern California and joined the Jack Raub Company which was instrumental in land planning for the Mission Viejo Company. He then joined the Mission Viejo Company as a Land Planner. In that role Jon oversaw build-out of the 100,000-person Master Planned Community of Mission Viejo including the multi-year filling of Lake Mission Viejo. Later Jon cofounded the Planning Associates, a land development consulting firm, and continued to do Land Planning in Southern California.
Jon was an avid golfer and founding member of Mission
Viejo Country Club. He spent much of his free time at the Club and his enthusiasm for the game and improving the Club knew no bounds.
“Pops”, as he has been affectionately known by his family, is survived by his beloved wife, Mimi, of 51 years; his 3 sons, Jonathan, wife Kelly, grandchildren
Hannah and Nathan; twin sons Adam; and Samuel, wife Susanne and grandchildren Samuel Jr, Ella and Sarah. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Tee It Up Fore Marines which Jon actively supported. https://mvcommunityfoundation.org/ tee-it-up-fore-marines/
Please sign guestbook at courant.com/obituaries