PETER JOHN THOMPSON

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PETER JOHN THOMPSON 1944 - 2017 On January 6, 2017, Peter J. Thompson passed away from brain cancer at the HSC rehabilitation hospital. Our hearts are broken, but we take comfort in knowing that Peter was surrounded by so much love when he left this world. God called our beloved Peter back home. Pete often joked that when God said "let there be light," he created electricians. Well, God must have had one huge and challenging project he needed Peter's help with. Left to mourn Peter are his wife Josie of 23 years; his children Patty (Brian Eggleston), Peter Thompson Jr., Dana Daciuk, Tiffany Daciuk, and Jason Daciuk; and his beloved grandchildren Justin, Kayla, Samantha, Daymon, Peter James, Ally, Zachary, Kaylie, Dante and Helena; sisters-in-law Diane, Susan, Joanne (Allan); nieces Ileana and Victoria; our family from Keewatin, Gladys and Jill, Nikki from Gimli. Peter had such a big heart and for those he held dear, there was nothing he wouldn't do - renovating the basement in record time for a family visit or braving the Black Friday crowds to pick the perfect Christmas gifts for his beautiful grandchildren. Never was his love for us more evident than when he courageously underwent brain surgery, 33 radiation treatments, and a staggering 59 chemo treatments to make sure he had as much time with us as possible. He was the rock of our family and the most amazing husband, father, papa, brother-in-law, son-in-law, uncle and friend. Christmas held a special place in Peter's heart and he hung on to spend one last Christmas with us. Putting up the Christmas lights yearly for his grandkids and gathering them every Christmas Eve to hear the Polar Express. No matter the number of birthdays that passed, our Peter could always hear Santa's sleigh bell ring. Peter was a Founding President for the EK Ys men and a Regional Director for several years. He was an active member until his passing. Not surprisingly, one of Peter's favourite projects was helping set up their Christmas Tree lot, a labour of love which started with ordering the trees in September before getting the lot and wiring ready on Remembrance Day so the trees would be ready to sell on December 1. He always said seeing the smile on each child's face when they found the perfect tree put him right in the Christmas spirit. A talented electrician and owner of Excell Electrical, Peter truly was a master of his craft. "If you're going to do something, do it right," he'd say. Peter's honesty, commitment and passion for his work earned him many lifelong customers. Whether he was drafting electrical drawings for large projects, solving a challenge for a client, or handling a routine call, he was there for his clients night or day and he made sure the job got done right. Our Pete was a hard worker, but he knew how to relax and unwind too. Every Friday night, my romantic Pete would take me to our favourite restaurant Dal's to treat me to a nice dinner prepared lovingly by our friends Pano and Kelly. He loved travelling and exploring new places. Together, we travelled to Toronto, Gorrie,Niagara Falls, Vernon ,Vegas, Florida, Aruba, Kauai, Oahu, and the Big Island. Our slice of heaven on earth was Barbados, somewhere we were fortunate enough to have visited a few times.Whether at home or travelling, Peter never grew tired of stopping to appreciate the natural wonders of the world, often with his head turned to the sky. In the evenings and early mornings, it was the stars and phases of the moon; in the daytime, it was the birds. He loved visiting bird sanctuaries and learning as much as he could about the local birds we might encounter during our travels. At home, he kept records of birds he saw and when the first goose returned in the spring.But there was perhaps nothing he loved more than spending summer afternoons and evenings with his family and grandkids by the pool - good music, good food and wine, and good company.Ever the proud papa, Pete cherished every opportunity to attend the children's social events - school concerts, recitals, graduations with father-daughter dances, Beaver and Cub events, teaching his grandson woodcarving and doing crossword puzzles with his granddaughter. He never failed to show up and show his love and support. Pete, you made each and every one of us feel so very loved and protected. We miss you terribly but the memories you gave us will last until we're together again. Pete, my Babe man, we are so grateful to have had you in our lives. You will always be remembered, appreciated and loved. Yes, Helena, Papa passed his goodness test and earned his wings! Way to go Papa!!!! The amount of love and care that Peter received during his time in the hospital was a testament to what a special man he was. We want to say a very special thank you to all, especially his loyal friends, Hugh, Don, Adrian, Karl, Barb, Kim, and Gord Saunders for their many loving visits. Susan, Ileana and Diane who travelled from Toronto and London to make sure Pete knew how loved he was. Joanne for her Friday visits bringing us tasty lunches, coffee and apple jacks from Dolce bakeshop. Dana who lovingly provided him with massages each week and who brought Dante and Helena to shower papa with huge hugs and kisses. Jason for his many visits bringing coffee, treats and our grandpuppy Corona for puppy cuddles Tiffany who always made sure her dad had clean bed socks, fresh toasted coconut doughnuts and knew he was so loved. Jeff Cook our minister from TMUC for the visits and prayers and Unity-in-Newmarket for their special prayers. And, to all those who kept Peter and our family in their prayers, thank you we were and are still blessed. Our family wishes to express our deepest gratitude to Dr. S. Kakamanu, the resident doctors, nurses, UAs, and the entire staff on RR6 at the Rehab Centre, Flo from dietary. Thank you all for the skilled, loving care and the support and compassion you provided to Peter and our family. Thank you to everyone at CancerCare Manitoba and the Canadian Cancer Society Transportation whose amazing drivers made it easy for us to get to treatments. In keeping with Peter's wishes, cremation has taken place and a private family internment will follow later this summer. In lieu of flowers, should one wish to do so, donations may be made in Peter's memory to CancerCare Manitoba or The Canadian Cancer Society Transportation. Funeral Arrangements in Care of: Wheeler Funeral Home, Cemetery & Crematorium 1800 Day Street - 204-224-1525 Please sign the book of memories at www.wheelerfuneral.com

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 18, 2017