John E. Pitera

John Edward Pitera, long-time resident of Cape Cod, passed away at age 66 on March 10, 2023 following a long and hard battle with cancer. Born and raised in Dorchester (and proud of it), John was a loving son to the late Eleanor M. (Bertolami) and Edwin R. Pitera. He is survived and deeply missed by his wife, Elizabeth van der Veen and her daughter Maryellen; his son Ryan Pitera and spouse Erica; his daughter Robyn Pitera; his grandchildren Wesley and Brooks Pitera; his siblings, Sandy Brodie and spouse Ken, Richard Pitera and Thomas Pitera and spouse Sutjanun; as well as his former spouse, Cheri Pitera.

John was a loving husband and devoted father. He enjoyed golf, spending time with his Dorchester “boys”, dancing with his wife, pistachios, and walking the beaches of Cape Cod and Florida. Most importantly, John loved spending time with his family and friends. He will be remembered for the unconditional and unwavering love and support he provided to all. Until the very end, he was a fighter who remained brave, steadfast, and loving. John was also a tireless worker. He built his own successful business, The Blind Man, over 34 years, which he kept running until the very end. He will be remembered for his kind heart and loyalty to the Dix Street boys – Phil McKay, Gerry Hobin, Billy Corbo, Danny Corbo, Danny Mackey, Teddy Duggan, Jimmy Curran, the late Mark Dixon – their loving wives, and all his other friends.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, March 16th at the church of St. Francis of Assisi, 856 Washington St., Braintree, MA 02184. Reception to follow in the lower church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of John to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to support colorectal cancer research and patient care at dana-farber.org/gift.