Sunday, August 16, 2015
I first met Peter with Ann in September 1956 at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois where we both were graduate students in the Department of Geology, tutored by the world famous triumvirate of professors W.C. (Bill) Krumbein, L.L. (Larry) Sloss and E.C. (Ed) Dapples. Until his passing, Peter was my oldest living personal friend/professional colleague. When Peter joined the staff of the Geology Department at the University of Western Ontario, I was pleased and honoured as Director of the Canada Centre for Geoscience Data to support his work with development of SAFRAS, his pioneering generalized data management system. Peter organized and led an international demonstration workshop at Western in conjunction with the 24th International Geological Congress held in Montreal in 1972. I was delighted when Peter later took a position in Ottawa with CANMET where we were able to share family and professional experiences. An hiatus followed when Peter took a position at Witchita State University in Kansas but happily our longstanding friendship was rejuvenated upon the Sutterlins' return to Canada in Merrickville. We shared a love of music, albeit from different angles. Particularly memorable were listening to the Sutterlins' collection of Reader's Digest LPs of 1930s-'40s popular music in London, attending Peter's performances singing with his quartet/choir at a local church, at the Sutterlins' Merrickville summer garden parties, musically involving his grandchildren, and attendance at one of my annual "June in January" recorded musical afternoons. I will miss his presence next January. My last visitations with Peter took place about a year ago in connection with helping both Pater and Ann with the logistics of their respective medical appointments in Ottawa and enjoyed their weekly company in overnight stays in my home over a six-week period, sadly the last opportunity for me after 58 years of friendship, mutual love and respect and indelible shared memories.
