Peter Cuthbert

February 5, 1927 - December 14, 2016

Peter Cuthbert, 89 years old, went home to be with the Lord on December 14 surrounded by his loving wife and devoted three daughters. Pete was born in Michigan in 1927, then later moved to Portland, Oregon, where he graduated from U.S. Grant High School in 1945. He subsequently joined the Navy, and was stationed at U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego as a pharmacist mate. It was while he was in the Navy that he met his first wife, Lorie, at a USO dance. They were married nearly 40 years and raised three daughters: Cynthia, Lisa and Teri. In 1958, he obtained his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. A short time later, he and Lorie moved back to California where he was a resident for nearly 60 years. Upon moving to La Mesa, he worked for the International Boundary and Water Commission. Later he worked for the private civil engineer practice, Freeland, Christensen, Everson and Boas, where his largest project was the planning of the four thousand acre residential development of University City in San Diego. He later became La Mesa's first City Planner designing a community park and landscaping for various city buildings. His passion for plants and preserving nature lead to him to becoming a Park Planner for the County of San Diego from 1960 -1983. During this time he planned elements of 54 county parks. Some of his significant projects included Quail Botanical Gardens (renamed San Diego Botanical Gardens), San Elijo Lagoon, Heise Park, Lake Jennings County Regional Park, and Mission Trails Regional Park. Another passion of his was music. He played trumpet in Big Band groups in his younger days in Portland. When he joined the Navy, one of his responsibilities was playing morning and evening colors. After his first wife died, this love of music helped connect him to his second wife, Marjorie, who was a music professor and is a talented cello player. They have been married 28 years, and enjoyed their mutual passion for music as well as their travels to China and many countries in Europe. Retirement was not about to slow Pete down. He was involved in many community groups: La Mesa Beautiful, Grossmont Community Concert Association, Board of San Diego County Retired Employees Association, Mission Trails Region Park Citizen Advisory, Citizens Coordinate for Century 3, and the La Mesa branch of Kiwanis. He is survived by his sisters: Ann and Priscilla; his wife, Marjorie, and three daughters, Cindy, Lisa, and Teri, five grandchildren: Vince, Allison, Adam, Alyssa and Ricky plus great-grandchildren: Shiloh and Oliver. The family would like to express our gratitude for the outstanding care he received, with devotion and dedication from the doctors and nurses at UCSD, Thornton, and Jacobs Medical Center. The Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, December 21 at 10:00 a.m at Saint Andrews Episcopal Church 4816 Glen Street, La Mesa, California. The burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego, California following the service. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Cancer Society at or San Diego Botanic Garden, PO Box 230005, Encinitas, CA 92023-0005.