Peter Ferwerda III

Peter Ferwerda III a former Little Egg Harbor and Village of Warren Grove citizen of Ocean County passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 24, 2024 at the age of 82. He is survived by his daughter Jeanne, son Peter Joseph, granddaughter Rooney, grandson Carter D. Brino-Ferwerda, brothers Robert and Martin, and sisters Susan and Mary Jane.

Peter was born in Newark New Jersey on February 12^th, 1942 at the American Legion Memorial Hospital. For the next many years he lived with his parents in Newark, Paterson, Clifton, Iselin, and Warren Grove New Jersey. He graduated from Woodbridge High School, Newark College of Engineering’s Civil (Building) certificate program, Ocean County College, Drexel University’s Civil Engineering and Planning programs, the US Department of Agriculture’s graduate school in Project Management, Rutgers Universities Certification of Public Managers, and an American University’s programs in Professional Management.

During those years after graduation from High School he entered the US Navy to be assigned as a Fireman and Rescue person at the Naval Air Station Lakehurst (now referred as Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst), then as a laborer for Loral, a construction inspector, a Highway Engineer, a Project Manager of Municipal and County Highway projects for the South Jersey area. His last duties with the New Jersey Department of Transportation were that of a Program Manager.

In the late 1970s and 1980 he was the Executor director of a local Civil Engineering firm.He retired in 2002 from public service as a Professional Engineer, Planner, Surveyor, and Development.

In addition to his part time efforts to improve his education he enrolled in continuing his education on the internet. This resulted in receiving a Doctorate degree in Engineering Management. While he went to school evenings and weekends as a father of his children Peter Joseph and Jeanne public service as an member of the Warren Grove Fire Company, Chairman of the Little Egg Harbor Planning Board, Founding Chairman of the Little Egg Harbor Environmental Commission, Chairman of the Planning Board, the Mayor’s representative to the State Pinelands Commission as its deputy Chair-person and the Chair-person of the Pinelands Regional School District’s Policy and Procedure Committee. While doing these tasks he co-authored for the Township of Little Egg Harbor’s Land Development Ordinance and obtained advancing his intellectual skills to further service his fellow citizens.

As he developed an understanding for the needs of the community he directed his energies to getting elected to public office as a Township Committee Person, and the 9^th District State Assembly Person but was unsuccessful.

Upon retiring from the State service he became part of a Camden County Civil Engineering form as a Senior Planning. He continued to practice his Land Development skills. After a period of time his beloved wife and mother of his children needed him in assisting her with medical issues such as Reflex Dystrophy and Silicoses until her passing in 2014.

During this busy life style he was with his Christine and kids traveled through 49 states of the United States, Mexico and Canada with its ten provinces and two of its territories. Separately Chris and him visited Europe and the Union of Soviet Republics. Later, after the passing of his Christine, he would take several trips around the world visiting in excesses over eighty seven countries. One of these most impressive to him was the isle of Antarctica.

Services are private and under the care of Maxwell Funeral Home.