Peter John Farrenkopf was a gift from the heavens. He loved his family and was a very attentive son to both his parents, helping to care for each one in their turn. Peter was a dedicated sibling, a devoted and “fun” uncle to his many dear nieces and nephews. But the group he was most proud of belonging to was the brotherhood of the FDNY. His fire department brothers all have funny tales of Peter in the firehouse, on construction jobs, at parties, and on ski and scuba diving trips. It is so great to hear these stories, because you get a sense of the depth of feeling between Peter and these men. What we know about friendship we learned from the FDNY—the brothers are ALWAYS there for you. Peter exemplified this in his life.

Within the FDNY, Peter was a real team player with an outstanding work ethic, beginning his firefighting career at Engine 84/Ladder 34 in Harlem. After his promotion, he worked in the Marine Division, where some of the many projects he handled included the Summer Boat program, transporting grieving family members to the WTC site, a presidential visit with a boat ride on Marine 1 for President Bush to Ellis Island, and the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks. He helped improve FDNY’s relationship with the Coast Guard and arranged a meeting with the captain of the port, which led to better communications, an understanding of our roles, an FDNY rep attending monthly harbor meetings, and an FDNY chief being on the Port of NY/NJ Harbor Safety Committee.

Now let’s talk about talent. Peter was a very smart cookie, someone who could, as his sister said, “think outside the box.” He pondered problems and came up with innovative and creative solutions. He was an artist, and whether it was his magnificent woodworking or the digging of a pond for our farm upstate, he approached these problems with monumental enthusiasm and creativity. We are so grateful to have been able to witness his amazing mind up close and personally.

We all agree that Peter is gone too soon. The mark of a person is what is left behind. Peter left not only beautiful works of wood and stone behind, but a multitude of dear friends and family who will cherish his memory and miss his incredible wit and those wonderful bear hugs.