Pete Grasso, Jr., was born in Welch, West Virginia and moved to Florida as a child. His Father, an Army Veteran, was a Licensed Funeral Director in the State of West Virginia and worked in several local funeral homes. Pete grew up in and around the funeral service while attending local schools including St. Paul’s Catholic Elementary and graduating from St. Petersburg Senior High School. After completing high school he obtained his Associates Degree in Mortuary Science from Miami-Dade Community College before returning to Pinellas County where he was able to practice his career. In 1980, God lead him in a different direction and he joined the St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue working 25 years as a Fire Department Rescue Paramedic. While working on the fire department he took specialized courses in disaster management from the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He also participated in the Tactical Rescue Team (now known as Florida Task Force 3) which specializes in structural collapse, high angle rescue, below grade rescue and heavy vehicle rescue operations. This led him later into working with the Florida Disaster Medical Response Team (FLDMAT3) with the Federal Government. He also participated in the Marine Rescue Team.
Pete was a second-generation Funeral Director who never left the Funeral Service where he worked on his days off from the fire department with local funeral homes in all aspects of the funeral service always saying that God “Blessed him with two great careers.” Once retired from Fire and Rescue Pete focused full-time in the funeral service. Even with that he worked when needed with BayCare as a medic in the Tropicana Field as a “Special Events Paramedic” responding at Tropicana Field to injured or sick fans, and occasionally with the players.
Pete is an active member of St. Jerome Catholic Church in Largo and a Past Grand Knight of the St. Jerome Knights of Columbus, Divine Mercy of Jesus Council. Pete describes himself as a “tent camper:” a fisherman (who always throws them back); and a great firehouse cook.
