Peter Drymala Jr., a retired railroader who owned a wallpaper hanging business, died Saturday of lung cancer at Fort Howard Veterans Medical Center.

The Dundalk resident was 82.

Mr. Drymala began his career as a freight conductor for Patapsco Back River Railroad Co. during the 1930s and retired in 1978.

Known as "Pete the Paper Hanger," Mr. Drymala operated a wallpaper hanging business from the 1930s until 1980.

The Baltimore native was raised in Fells Point, where his father owned Pete's Hotel on Broadway, and attended city schools.

During World War II, he enlisted in the Navy and served in the Atlantic aboard the USS Xenia.

He was discharged in 1946.

He married Janet K. Troland in the early 1930s.

She died in 1961.

He was a communicant of Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian burial was offered at the church Tuesday. He is survived by two sons, Peter J. Drymala of Bel Air and Robert H. Drymala of Baltimore; three daughters, Patricia M. Avella of Bel Air, Janice R. Barrett of Hunt Valley and Mary Jane Winelander of Reisterstown; a brother, Clement Drymala of Dundalk; two sisters, Ruth Plum and Lucille Thomas, both of Baltimore; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Pub Date: 11/05/98