It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of a much loved family member, good friend, cultural seeker, and spiritual wayfarer. Peter was beamed up to heaven May 1st. While born in Edmonton, AB, Peter was to find his true calling in cultivating an active mind that bit into life with passion and wonder. He began this calling at St. Michael’s College, at the University of Toronto, where he met one of the seminal influences of his life, the Canadian communication visionary Marshall McLuhan. Peter went on to complete his MA (1967) and later received his doctorate in English Literature in 1971 from the University of Alberta. His thesis was on the works of T. S. Eliot. Shortly after graduation, he began his long teaching career with Camosun College in Victoria, BC, where he educated hundreds of students in the love of the English language from basic composition to creative fiction, from playwriting to the Moderns. He often quipped that he suffered from logomania, an extreme love of “the word,” because “the word” created the unifying resonance with life itself. For anyone who knew him, he manifested his logomania with a razor sharp wit punctuated with puns and contranyms. Besides publishing numerous works on everything from Eliot to Bob Dylan, Peter produced several radio dramas and was very active in the local theatre world as an actor, director, producer, stage manager. Taking his intellectual cue from McLuhan, Peter looked with curiosity and hope into what technology and science fiction (especially Star Trek) had to offer the human project. Fascinated by the advent of computing, he “cut his programming teeth” on Camosun’s first big computer, a DEC PDP-11. Up until his starship left planet Earth, Peter honed his computer skills and developed numerous websites for various organizations like the Island Catholic News. During his career, he served on various boards including the International Visual Literacy Association, Canadian College for Chinese Studies and the St. Andrew’s Regional High School. After his retirement in 2004, Peter travelled and continued his community service serving on the boards of the Laren Society and Birthright. Peter’s last “hurrah” for McLuhan is in the recently published “The Medium Is the Muse” (2014). Underpinning his entire life, however, was perhaps his most important love, the Catholic faith and its theology. His spirit ran with Aquinas, Teilhard de Chardin and Thomas Merton at the same time—always yearning.
Where shall the word be found, where will the word
Resound? Not here, there is not enough silence
Not on the sea or on the islands, not
On the mainland, in the desert or the rain land,
For those who walk in darkness
Both in the day time and in the night time
The right time and the right place are not here
No place of grace for those who avoid the face
No time to rejoice for those who walk among noise and deny the voice …
Ash Wednesday, T. S. Eliot.
A Prayer Vigil will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Church on Sunday, May 8th, 2016 at 7 pm followed by recitation of the rosary. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Peter on Monday, May 9th, 2016 at 1pm at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 4049 Gordon Head Rd, Victoria, BC. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the organization Development and Peace.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall’s Funeral Home
www.mccallbros.com
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Nancy McDonald
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Fiona My condolences to Peter’s family.
I had the good fortune to take a couple of writing classes with Peter in the 90s just after high school. His classes were some of the most enjoyable and inspiring times I ever spent in school (and ai was in school for many years after!), and left me with a love for the creative process. He was also just such a big sweetheart, and seemed to have the gift of bringing out the most confident side of all his students, even initially shy ones like myself. I feel very lucky to have crossed paths with him.
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Beth Cioffoletti Peter, I’m so glad I knew you. love, Beth
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Gail Barnard Peter was one of my first teachers at Camosun in 1972. I had him for several classes over the years and he always challenged me. I went on to work at the college and worked with him on the computer lab he set up for the English students. He was always forward thinking and dragged some of us along for the ride. I appreciated his sense of humour and dedication to his students. We did not always agree but that was a good thing. He said it sparked debate and discussion. Through him I learned an appreciation of literature that I still have.
He will be missed
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Susan Wilson What a lovely, kind and generous spirit! Peter first hired me as a graduate student “marker” when he chaired the English Department at Camosun College. He kindly offered help and guidance as I struggled to teach full-time while completing my M.A. We were colleagues for 13 years at Camosun. Later I came to know him through St. Andrew’s Cathedral and Holy Cross. It was a privilege to share his journey. God Bless you and keep you, Peter.
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Deanna Roozendaal I offer sympathy to Peter’s family. Peter was a mentor to me in my early days at Camsoun, and I went on to be his Chair and Associate Dean. Peter was a dedicated faculty member and a strong advocate for his students, for the English Department, and especially for the creative writing program. Most certainly, his teaching impacted many thousands of students. He is fondly remembered.
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Cathy Converse-Kess It was a privilege to have known Peter and to have worked with him as a colleague at Camosun College. I always admired his integrity, his advocacy for justice and his inquisitiveness. His quirky sense of humour always brightened my day. I shall hold him close in my thoughts as he travels on his next journey.
Cathy Converse-Kess
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L.M.Hummel Hi Shirley
Just want you to know that my thoughts a d prayers are with you at this difficult time.
I hope your boys are both in town to keep you company and give you comfort. My very best regards,
Margaret Hummel (Koski)
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Nadia Cornejo My condolences are with Peter’s family. He was always willing to be a reader when I asked him to serve and he was always helpful and very knowledgeable to talk with. I will always remember him.
Peter, rest in peaceNadia
Peter–
Thank you for the years of friendship. Please remember me and my family in heaven.