Dr. Peter Jack Rotolo, 79, passed away from cardiac complications in the early morning hours of February 24 at Lahey Hospital in Burlington, Mass.

The first of Caroline Caleca and Gaspare Rotolo’s four children, Peter was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Brooklyn on August 6, 1944. He graduated from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School at the age of 16, studied pre-med at Seton Hall and later transferred to St. John’s University, from which he graduated in 1966. He earned his M.D. in 1970 from New Jersey College of Medicine.

During high school, Peter taught himself to play guitar and developed a keen interest in folk music. He formed The Pike County Trio in college with his brother, Joe, and friend, Joe DeMaio. In his senior year, Peter and his brother met Jerry Berg, a pharmacology student, and they formed The Round Sound and performed in and around the greater New York area in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Peter married his high school sweetheart, Maureen Myrick, on August 18, 1968. The newlyweds moved to East Orange, New Jersey for Peter’s last two years of medical school. While Peter always thought he would be a pediatrician, he decided that obstetrics was his calling during his residency at New Britain General Hospital in the early 1970s.

In July of 1974, Peter was commissioned into the United States Navy as a lieutenant. His two-year tour of duty was at Patuxent Naval Air Station Hospital in Maryland, where his first son was born. A friend of Maureen’s sent the couple an article about a lovely town outside of Boston. Peter began to make inquiries, and soon met Dr. Francis Lombardo, who made a lasting impression. Peter joined Dr. Lombardo at his Burlington Ob/Gyn practice in 1976.

Maureen and Peter settled in Winchester, Mass. where they raised their four children. Peter delivered thousands of babies over a 41-year career in obstetrics. He loved his office practice and serving Winchester Hospital, where he was President of the Medical Staff from 1995-1997, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology from 1997-2006, and served on the Board of Trustees from 2008-2022.

While he didn’t have much free time, Peter volunteered as a parent coordinator with the Boy Scouts and was a soccer coach in the 1980s and early 1990s. He loved science fiction and was a voracious reader of the genre. He sang in a barbershop quartet for many years and played guitar and sang with his siblings and Jerry Berg whenever they got together. In his retirement, Peter enjoyed his time with the Romeos, Share Group, visiting his children and grandchildren and travelling with Maureen to many destinations near and far.

He was described repeatedly in recent days as “a gentle giant,” “the kindest soul,” and “the sweetest man.” Peter’s children take comfort in the fact that countless others also benefitted from their dad’s calm, loving, and peaceful demeanor.

Peter is survived by his adoring wife of 55 years, Maureen, his brother, Joe (Camille), two sisters: Mary Anne (Donald) and Katie (Patrick), stepsister Doris (Kevin), four dutiful children: Jonathan (Lindsey), Ben (Bronwen), Catherine (Robbie), and Tim (Maggie), seven loving grandchildren: Lily, Sadie, Jackson, Asher, Annecy, Rowan and Daphne, and nineteen nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, March 1, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Eulalia’s Church in Winchester. In lieu of flowers, donations in Peter’s memory can be sent to Winchester Hospital, Partners in Health and Tunnels to Towers.