Peter Kent Bruneau

Loving husband, cherished father and grandfather, Peter Kent Bruneau, peacefully passed away on January 27th at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was 79 years old. Peter was born on September 22, 1944, in Lachine, QC. He was the third of four sons born to Aileen (Hart) and Louis Bruneau. He grew up in Quebec City and graduated from St. Patrick High School. Peter received his Bachelor of Arts from Université de Laval, Laval, QC. He went on to complete his Education Degree at McGill University, in Montreal, QC, and then his Master’s Degree in Theology from St. Augustine's Seminary of Toronto, ON.

During Peter’s secondary schooling and undergraduate education, he was actively involved in football and hockey. It was known that he was not available for social activities if there was a football game on Sunday afternoons. He continued to be a fan of professional football and hockey up until his last days. He enjoyed participating in tennis and squash together with his wife and cheering on his girls in soccer and rugby.

Peter was well known for his strong conviction in the Roman Catholic Faith and his “no non-sense approach.” His brothers from the Knights of Columbus in Markham described him as a “ faithful and active member and a strong fighter for what is right.” He was a strong supporter of Open Door and Chalice charities. His friends value his opinion and loyalty.

Peter enjoyed teaching all his life. He worked hard and diligently at preparing his educational curriculum for his students and expected the same effort in return. Thus, the word "Bruneauism" was coined by his students to denote his high expectations of their performance. He taught at St. Thomas Secondary School in Pointe-Claire, QC, Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School in Pierrefonds, QC, and St. Robert High School in Thornhill, ON.

Peter met Lolita while teaching at Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School. They were married in 1976. Peter and Lolita went on to have two children, Luanne and Melissa. As a husband, Peter loved his wife and was fiercely supportive of her career development and aspirations. He supported and encouraged her growth both personally and professionally. Lolita described Peter as her pillar of strength. As a father, Peter was very supportive of his daughters’ participation is various physical activities. He was also very protective of them. As the girls got older, he rationalized that adopting a family dog would distract his girls from the opposite sex when they began to reach the age of puberty. It was not a foolproof plan, but his daughters adored him for finally allowing a dog in the home. That dog, Buddy, ended up becoming his loyal companion when his girls grew up and went away to university.

In 2001, Peter retired from the teaching profession. He truly enjoyed discussing and debating politics around the dinner table, vacationing with Lita, going to resorts and various cruises around the world. Of course, retirement allowed for him to invest in his most loved pastime, touring the roads on his motorcycles. He was an active member of the Knights of Columbus in Markham, Ontario and the Knights of Columbus at St. Ignatius for a couple of years.

Peter is survived by his beloved wife, Lolita Bruneau, their loving children: Luanne Bruneau of Halifax NS and husband Derek, and Melissa Hayes of Cheshire, UK, and husband Neil; 4 grandchildren: Nathan Kimmerly, Serena Hayes, Vanessa Kimmerly, and Margot Hayes; brothers Greg Bruneau of Kanata ON, Marc Bruneau of Bellville ON and wife Laurie, and Paul Bruneau of Moncton NB.

Funeral services will be held at St. Ignatius Church, 1288 Bedford Hwy, Bedford, NS on Monday, March 4, 2024, at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to Chalice (https://chalice.ca), an organization Peter felt strongly about. We invite you all to share pictures or memories. It was his wish that we laugh, reminisce, and smile together during this time.