Alfred J. Petteruti ’54

Alfred J. Petteruti ’54, of East Greenwich, R.I.; Jan. 19, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. After graduating with a degree in electrical engineering, he attended graduate school at Yale and obtained a master’s degree from Northeastern University. In 1956, Al enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed as a security officer in Japan. Upon discharge, he worked at Raytheon for 11 years before founding Ocean Data Equipment Corp. Subsequently, he acquired Digitronics, which became Comtec Information Systems, where he served as CEO until he retired in 2000. Along with the company, he was granted numerous patents for a wide range of innovative products. Above all, he enjoyed nothing more than sharing a meal while surrounded by his children and grandchildren. He maintained a lifelong commitment to Brown through philanthropy and other roles, but hosting entertainers who performed at the annual Brown Pops Concert was one of his favorite things to do. Among his contributions, he funded the Petteruti Lounge in Brown’s Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center and the Petteruti Laboratory for Design and Entrepreneurship (part of the Brown Design Workshop in Prince Lab). He was a BASC interviewer and served as a class marshal. He was a member of Tau Beta Pi and Our Lady of Mercy Church. He is survived by his wife, Mary; daughters Anne Marie Petteruti Barone ’84 and Lenore Petteruti Kopko ’86; sons Robert ’81 and Steven ’83; nine grandchildren, including Alina Petteruti ’13, Marissa Petteruti ’14, Robert Jr. ’17, Anessa Petteruti ’21, Patrick Petteruti ’21, and Michael Barone ’24.