Obituary of Paul Aloysius Petry

Paul Aloysius Petry

17 July 1931 – 04 March 2023

A well-lived life…

Paul Petry, the eldest child of German immigrants, was born in Blue Island, Illinois on 17 July 1931. The family eventually moved to Crown Point, Indiana where his father bought a bakery.

Paul grew up there, graduating from Crown Point High School in 1949. As the eldest son, Paul was trained in the bakery business from a young age and was expected to eventually take over his father’s Crown Bakery.

After graduating from high school, Paul joined the Navy, graduating at the top of his class, serving as a baker on his ship for four years. After his discharge from the Navy, he studied business at Florida State University, then returned to Crown Point to start his bakery career alongside his father.

In 1955, Paul’s sister Barbie brought home a pretty classmate, Babs Denney. Paul took one look at her and told his sister, “I’m going to marry that girl.” The couple married in August 1957 in Crown Point, where their first three children were born.

Paul and Babs had honeymoooned in Colorado and fell in love with the state, so, in 1961 when a partnership opportunity arose at Vollmer’s Bakery in Denver, they leapt at the chance.

When Paul’s business partner eventually retired, Paul bought him out, and over the next two decades he expanded Vollmer’s Bakery to seven locations in the Denver metro area, eventually building a large bakery plant on Bryant Street in Lakewood.

By this time, he and Babs had six children, and in 1976, they moved the family to Evergreen, Colorado.

After closing the bakery in 1981, Paul and Babs lived for several years in Tennessee, Oregon, and Arizona before returning permanently to Colorado in 2005 to be near their children and grandchildren.

In his younger years, Paul was an avid handball player and golfer. He also enjoyed sailing and skiing with his family, loved horses and horseback riding, and was passionate about classic cars. Paul was also a very talented woodworker and built many fine furniture pieces which grace his home today.

A devout Catholic, Paul found great solace and peace in prayer. Until ill health prevented it, he regularly attended Mass at St. Thomas More. His faith brought him enormous joy and comfort, and many friends, too.

Paul leaves behind his beloved wife Babs, four children, eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, a sister, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was gentle, loving and kind and will be sorely missed.