Peter Tracy Ramus
Norwich, VT –
Peter Tracy Ramus, 63, passed away at his home on Tuesday, August 17,surrounded by his loving family, after grappling with cancer for six years.
Peter was born in Greenwich, CT on June 10, 1947, the son of Michael and Grace (Cook) Ramus and grew up in Princeton, NJ. He graduated from Princeton High School and has an Associate's Degree in Industrial Power Technology from Mercer County College. In 1982 he married Virginia Wurster.
As a child Pete was always fascinated by machinery and the flow of electric
current. A master electrician, his career encompassed a wide variety of positions that all
took advantage of his extraordinary natural mechanical abilities. These included being
an independent electrical contractor in the Princeton area during the 1970s and 1980s;
electrician at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA; and 17 years at Princeton
University. Initially hired at Princeton as an electrician, he became Foreman of the
university's Electric Shop, later advancing to Manager of Electrical Trades. In 1999,
Peter and his family fulfilled their lifelong desire to relocate to northern New England
when he accepted a position as Electrical Designer for Dartmouth College. After this,
Peter was an Electrical Inspector for the Town of Hanover for two years. He
subsequently worked as Electrical Inspector for the City of Lebanon until his illness
prevented him from continuing. A veritable Electric Code wizard, Pete was dedicated to
improving the quality and safety of buildings in the Upper Valley. He continued to
ponder code conundrums with his appreciative colleagues until the end of his life.
Pete also enjoyed a variety of other jobs throughout his life, ranging from
electrician for the Murphy Brothers' Traveling Carnival, breakfast chef, school bus
driver, and volunteer for the Princeton Rescue Squad.
Beneath his sometimes serious exterior, Pete had a unique sense of humor that
continued to make his family and friends laugh, even during the most trying times of his
illness. His quirky expressions and wry insights will continue to amuse those who knew
him for many years to come.
Pete was happiest outdoors. He loved hiking, canoeing, raising vegetables, going
to fairs, and using his tractor to tend the land around his home. He was a hands-on man
who could fix anything that was broken. He loved hosting gatherings of family and
friends, and in recent years he developed a crowd-pleasing penchant for making pizza
from scratch. Pete meditated daily throughout his adult life, and he frequently took time
to sit and listen to music undistracted or simply watch the wind in the trees.
Pete is survived by his devoted wife of 28 years, Ginny Ramus of Norwich, VT;
his son Luke of Burlington, VT; daughter Julia of Somerville, MA; two sisters, Anne
Gray of Ewing, NJ, and Grace Ramus of Kingston, NJ; and nieces, nephews, and cousins. He expressed deep appreciation and his immediate family are grateful for the tremendous support and assistance from Anne, Grace, and his in-laws Lin and Byard Miller of Heber Springs, AR, and Judy Hargis of San Antonio, TX, along with the many friends and family members who sent prayers, cooked meals, and provided strength and comfort.
A memorial service will be held Friday, August 27th at Knight Funeral Home in
White River Junction, VT. There will be a calling hour from 3-4 PM, followed by a
service starting at 4. Everyone is invited back to the Ramus home to celebrate Pete's life with food and drink after the service.