Peter was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, September 14, 1927, the youngest of five children. When he turned 18 in September, 1945, he was called up and served in the Royal Air Force before completing his first degree at the University of Durham. After a few years teaching at a college in Newcastle he came to Canada in 1954 and taught in Yellowgrass, Saskatchewan for one year. He moved to Nanaimo, where for twelve years he was a teacher, school counsellor, and vice-principal, and also completed further degree work at UBC. Some of his students from both Yellowgrass and Nanaimo have stayed in contact with him over the years up to the present. In addition he spent one term on Nanaimo City Council. In 1967 he moved to Kelowna as a principal for four years, three of them at Kelowna Senior Secondary.
In 1971 he began his career as a superintendent in Peace River North School District, Fort St. John, although he continued to maintain he was an educator – a teacher – not an administrator. In 1975 he came to Mission as superintendent. In 1984 he took early “retirement”. That lasted until the following year when he became half-time superintendent in Agassiz-Harrison School District for another six years. Over the years up until age 83 he worked with Corrections Services Canada doing educational assessments.
Education was Peter’s life long passion, and he cared deeply for all of his students and his fellow teachers. He promoted excellence, but also had great compassion for all who needed encouragement and support. He loved his family and get-togethers with all of them, and with friends, and he and his wife, Joan, went on many enjoyable cruises up until the last four years.
Peter is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Joan MacLatchy, his sons John (Fay) and Michael (Grace) McLoughlin, and his sons William and Michael (Alcina) MacLatchy, and granddaughters Breanna and Catriona. He was predeceased by his first wife, Dorothy.
A private service will be held for Peter on March 21. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later time when gatherings are possible.
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