Peter Virag

Published in Asbury Park Press & Home News Tribune on March 21, 2010

Peter Virag of Lakewood, formerly of Carteret, passed peacefully on Friday, March 19, 2010, at Ocean Medical Center in Brick, NJ.

He is predeceased by his wife, Irene; his parents, John and Mary Virag; his brothers, Joseph, Andrew, John, Mike and Frank; and his sister, Mary.

He is survived by his daughter, Christine Virag-Non and her husband Diosdado Non; three grandchildren and four great grandchildren; and his sister, Rose Virag Mezaros in Florida.

Peter was born in 1922 in Englishtown, NJ. He graduated from Carteret High School, where he was a star on the basketball teams and baseball teams that won state championships.

He went to play minor league baseball in North Carolina until he was drafted into military service in 1942. War injuries ended his baseball sports career. He joined the Navy and served on the aircraft carrier USS Bennington as a machinist during World War II in the Pacific theater.

Following his release from active military service in 1946, Peter worked in the family dry cleaning business for several years in Carteret before going into the harness horse racing industry.

He owned and drove horses at racetracks in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New England. He retired from driving in the early 1970's and went on to serve as a judge at the Meadowlands, Freehold Raceway and Garden State Park Racetrack until his retirement in 1992. He was always a sports fan, particularly of the New York Mets and New York Giants.

A visitation is scheduled for 9am-10:30am, Thursday, March 25 at D'Elia Funeral Home, Lakewood, NJ. A mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11am at Visitation Church in Brick, NJ. Interment will follow at the New Jersey Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Arneytown.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Help Hospitalized Veterans, PO Box 98088, Washington, D.C. 20090-8088.