Obituary of Peter Symkens

Peter Symkens, husband (wife Rachel passed away in 1996) and father (son and survived by Sandy),a family man, loyal, generous, stubborn, holocaust survivor, immigrant, gentle man, charitable, farmer, businessman, entrepreneur, born in Poland, eldest of family of 12 siblings, lieutenant, sports aficionado, Born December 14, 1920 in Poland, educated at the local yeshiva, enlisted in the Polish army when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, rose through ranks to become a lieutenant, was attached to Russian army as they invaded Berlin. Retired from army after WWII and settled in Munich, Germany. Met and married Rachel Gravermann in 1947 and moved to Garmisch where she gave birth to son, Sandy in the 1949. The family immigrated to the US in 1951 entering through Ellis Island, first settling in the Bronx, they moved to Buena, where he purchased a farm and lived until his passing. Initially, he learned to raise chickens for their eggs, eventually changing to chicken production and then to the buying and selling of chickens for processing. He then became involved in the meat packing and processing business in Philadelphia which he did for about ten years and upon selling that business he purchased a floor coverings business on Landis Avenue which he ran until about 15 years ago. More recently he was retired and lived alone in his home in Buena. His death follows a brief hospital stay. He is survived by his son, Sandy, a resident of St. Thomas, VI. Please, in lieu of flowers make a donation in his name to: The Jewish Federation of Cumberland, Gloucester & Salem Counties, 1015 East Park Avenue, Suite B Vineland, NJ 08360 tel: 856-696-4445 www.jewishcumberland.org. Or The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Rahul Wallenberg Pl SW, Washington, DC 20024, www.ushmm.org - https://give.ushmm.org/2016