Peter Vergalla

Peter Vergalla, 82, of Wickenburg, Arizona, passed away peacefully April 29, 2026.  He leaves his wife of 60 years, Judith Ramsay Vergalla, three daughters, Sandra, Bonnie, and Jaclyn; five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. He also leaves his sister Barbara VanZandt, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Vergalla and Vera Bartosh Vergalla, and his brothers Michael & John

Peter joined the Air Force after graduating from Cranford High School and served four years. He then worked for the Cranford Police Department in New Jersey for 25 years, where he served as a dedicated patrolman and saved lives, making a lasting impact in many ways, including serving as a master firearms instructor in Union County. He earned numerous awards as a member of the department’s pistol team.

Peter also had a lifelong love of sports, especially basketball, and spent many years playing in various leagues. He played softball in local hometown leagues as a fastball pitcher. In addition, he was an avid gardener, taking pride in providing his family with an abundance of homegrown vegetables.

He moved to Wickenburg, Arizona in 1991 with his wife and youngest daughter. There, he worked for the Wickenburg Unified School District for 25 years as a school bus driver and later as transportation director for a few years before returning to driving. He especially enjoyed driving the sports teams to their games. During this time, he also embraced the local western lifestyle, cherishing the years he owned horses and was an active member of the Horsemen’s Association, the Saddle Club, and the Maricopa County Posse. He was also a member of the Wickenburg Elks for years, serving in various ways there.  He and his wife, Judy, later purchased a 1998 Airstream Land Yacht and spent many happy years traveling across the United States and volunteering at rallies with the Airstream Club.

His favorite hymn was “How Great Thou Art”, particularly as performed by Elvis Presley. He frequently quoted his favorite Bible verse, Psalm 118.24: “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

He was a hero to his family and proved it time and again, both in his career and in his daily life. He will be greatly missed by all. 

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