Early in his criminal career, Peter married the niece of prominent Western New York businessman and Buffalo crime family consigliere John C. Montana. In 1940 he opened a funeral home with Paul Palmeri. When Palmeri left Niagara Falls in 1942. Peter took over operation. He already had one college degree and now went to mortuary school and became a licensed funeral director. He ran the Magaddino Memorial Chapel, a funeral home in Niagara Falls, New York.