Remembering Reynold "Rey" Peduzzi Jr
The United States Marine Corps motto “Semper Fidelis” translates from Latin to mean, “Always Faithful.” For our dear friend Reynold “Rey” Peduzzi Jr, this was a motto that he applied to four pillars of his life: faithful to God, Family, Country, and Corps. His obituary in the link below highlights a full life lived, and we wish to add just a few additional thoughts to honor a man whom many of us had the privilege of working with over the past several years.
One of Rey’s lasting legacies to the Trafford community is reflected in the efforts he put forth in spearheading renovations of Trafford’s Memorial Park. His leadership was effective and profound. Rey had an unwavering dedication to ensuring that the project took place, and anyone familiar with his time on the committee knows that it was his steadfast loyalty to his fellow veterans and their families that made it a resounding success. Resolve such as his can certainly be attributed to a strong foundation of core values – leadership traits and principles fostered partially from his time in the military, but the true credit must be given to the notion that he cultivated his passions deep from within. The park that he left for us came in part from his dogged determination to ensure that we would never forget the men and women of our community who served this great Nation.
But it was not just the veterans of the Trafford community that Rey wished to honor and remember. He recognized the common citizen, paid tribute to those who contributed to the community, and acknowledged the people from Trafford who made this a better nation. Rey was a great storyteller and enjoyed reminiscing about his classmates, teachers, the butcher, the baker, and yes, even a famous shoemaker. It was his fondness for pointing out the good in others that made it so appealing to listen to his stories. He was a bit nostalgic at times, especially when telling a story from his youth. Sometimes even repeating the same story multiple times, sort of like Trafford history in syndication. But hearing Rey tell a story could easily transport the listener to an almost mythical time in our history when the community of Trafford seemed to be a little island of its own in a faraway place. His stories could be a temporary escape from the calamity of today, but blissfully, he recalled the memories of the people who made Trafford a special place to live.
As a founding member of the Trafford Historical Society, Rey served as our Society Treasurer, but more importantly, he was someone who encouraged our group to carry the torch for the people that many would likely forget. For Rey, it was the history of our common folk, our kin, who in his eyes, walked like giants among us. And so it is for this reason that many of us are indebted to him for what he has done for our community. We will forever be grateful to Rey for setting the bar high for those willing to give back to their community. He will be missed, but not forgotten; and from our group to Rey, we are Semper Fidelis.
