Peter G. Goerig

September 7, 1943 – December 27, 2013

Peter was born in the Sudetenland to a German father and Hungarian mother, and spent the first 19 years of his life in Germany. Following his sister, Elisabeth, who had moved to Atlanta, Peter arrived in 1962 with $75 in his pocket and no English skills. Within six months, still a German citizen, he was drafted into the U. S. Army and served his not-yet-adopted country honorably for three years.

When Peter and Carol met on a blind date arranged by Carol’s cousin, he had become a proud American citizen and was working for AT&T, his sole employer for the next 30 years. After assignments in Atlanta, the Network Operations Center in New Jersey; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Conyers, Ga., Peter retired as a manager in 1998.

Peter’s was a true American success story and his American dream came true for him through his high ideals, his tireless work ethic, his fighting spirit, and his big heart. Peter belonged to Kiwanis International and while with AT&T, he was active with Junior Achievement and the Big Brother organization, during which time he provided a much-needed male influence in the homes of two very special young men. Peter always wanted to repay his adoptive country and in the process, he created a new life for himself and has never looked back.

Peter passed out of our lives 51 years to the day after arriving in the U.S. and his family thinks he would be pleased with the coincidence. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Carol, his daughters Hillary (Chris) Bilheimer and Margaret, by his siblings in Germany – Gerta, Gabriel, Walter and Gerhard – and in Atlanta – Elisabeth – and by numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Peter will be held at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29, to be followed by a reception, at Bernstein Funeral Home, 3195 Atlanta Hwy, Athens, Ga. Cremation will be followed by a spring interment in Honey Creek Woodlands natural cemetery in Conyers.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memoriam to Athens Canine Rescue, at athenscaninerescue.com, or to the American Kidney Fund, at kidneyfund.org.

On line condolences may be made at www.bernsteinfuneralhome.com.

Bernstein funeral Home and Cremation Service are in charge of arrangements.