Amy F Petrik

Amy Frances Petrik, age 46, of Columbia, MD, passed away at her home on July 31, 2026, surrounded by her loving family and pets. She was born on February 14, 1980, in Rochester, PA, to Colleen and Bruce Petrik.

A scientist, Amy earned her Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002, followed by a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Maryland in 2007. She then joined the National Institutes of Health (NIH), completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) in 2013. Following her fellowship, she spent over a decade supporting the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) before joining the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in September 2024. Throughout her public service, Amy dedicated her career to the science of improving health within society.

Amy is survived by her husband, Jeremy Crites; her mother and stepfather, Colleen and Max Mohney; her sister and brother-in-law, Beth and Adam Fitch; her half-sister and brother-in-law, Brittany and Rich Rosado; her half-brother and sister-in-law, Brett and Kari Mohney; her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Veronica and Kevin Crites; and her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Jenna and Jason Kelley. She also leaves behind her nieces Ellie, Sydney, Lucy, Lillian, Lydia, and Reese; her nephew Matteo; as well as many other family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her father, Bruce Petrik.

Amy embraced life to the fullest. An avid lover of music, reading, cooking, running, working out, hiking, and traveling, she was equally content being a homebody. She cherished quiet moments spent at home with her husband, Jeremy, and her beloved pets: her dog, Layla, and her cats, Bobby Jean, Rosalita, and Margo.

Amy was a beloved wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, neighbor, and coworker. She loved sharing her creativity, regularly knitting and crocheting gifts for family and friends. She frequently surprised her nieces by sending monthly gift boxes with crafts and other activities. Her kindness, thoughtfulness, empathy, and strength will be missed by all who had the fortune of knowing her.

A celebration of life will be held on October 11, 2026, at The Carriage House (thecarriagehouseincolumbia.com) in Columbia, MD, at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (stjude.org) or Small Miracles Cat & Dog Rescue (smallmiraclesrescue.org).