Rudolph J. “Rod” Pieretti

Rudolph J. “Rod” Pieretti, P.E., of Wilmington, Delaware, born February 7, 1936, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, passed away suddenly on the evening of March 27 at his home. He had just celebrated his 90th birthday surrounded by three generations of family.

Rod was the youngest of seven children—three sisters and three brothers—raised in West Philadelphia by George Pieretti, Sr. and Ada (Fanucchi), whose family hailed from Lucca, Italy. He was blessed with the enduring love and devotion of his wife, Joan (Price-Platt), from their marriage in 1957 until her peaceful passing in the summer of 2025.

He was predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Terry and Lena; his brothers, Ollie, George, Larry, and Baby Rudy; his brothers-in-law, Al Cirino, Joe Dezzi, and Leonard Amsterdam; and his sisters-in-law, Lena, Rose, and Grace.

He is survived by his cherished sister, Norma Amsterdam; and his five children: Christopher (Timi), Lisa (Albert Ganss), Gary, Steve (Denise), and Roddy; his grandchildren, Cassidy, Mia, Taylor (Melissa), Nicole, and Phillip (Christine); and his great-grandchildren, Charlie and Cecilia. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Rod graduated from Drexel University College of Engineering and earned his Professional Engineering licenses in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Over a distinguished career, he became widely respected for his work in bridges and highways, combining technical excellence with practical craftsmanship. He served on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Highway Engineers and, in 2003, was inducted into their Hall of Fame. He was also an active member of Engineers Without Borders at the University of Delaware, where he worked alongside students—including his son Gary—on a bridge project in Guatemala. In 2016, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Delaware Contractors Association.

A skilled tradesman across many disciplines, Rod was as comfortable with tools in hand as he was leading complex engineering projects. He took pride in building things that lasted.

He was happiest in life’s most beautiful moments: listening to the soaring voices of the Three Tenors, washing his car in the sunshine, singing solo arias or joining Joan in song in the kitchen, and spending time near the ocean.

The prayer he placed on the kitchen table the morning of his passing was: “A good exercise for the heart is to bend down and help another up. Help the weak, and always try to be kind to each other.”

A visitation will be held held at Chandler Funeral Home, 2506 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE,  on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. with a service to follow at 11:00am. Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 3301 W Cheltenham Ave, Wyncote, PA 19095 at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Engineers Without Borders USA.