Mr. Peter John Bartosh

Mr. Peter Bartosh, late of Fort Saskatchewan, passed away on Monday, February 15, 2010 at the age of 84 years. He has joined his wife, Jacqueline, but leaves behind his best friend, Buddy. Peter is survived by a loving family; two children, Maureen (Herb) Kuchenbecker of Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, and Roger (Wanda) Bartosh of Fort Saskatchewan; six grandchildren, Michele (Al), Tania (Wade), Michelle (Matt), Dylan (Joanne), Chad, and Candace (Calvin); eight great-grandchildren, Jeffery, Tiffanie, Devon, Kael, Brooklynn, Chase, Parker, and Carsten; his brother, Stan (Phyllis) and his twin brother, Paul (Joyce) as well as numerous other family and many dear friends.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 11:00 AM at First Memorial Riverview Chapel, 11090 – 86 Avenue, Fort Saskatchewan. In lieu of flowers, donations in Peter’s memory gratefully accepted directly to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, 101, 10642 - 178 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5S 9Z9. Online condolences may be sent through www.mem.com.

Arrangements under the direction of First Memorial Funeral Services - Riverview Chapel, Fort Saskatchewan, AB.

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Mr. Peter John Bartosh, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

Peter was born on December 1, 1925 at Vegreville General Hospital in Vegreville, Alberta, Canada. He was the son of Jacob and Rose Bartosh. Raised in Edmonton, Alberta, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Peter was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Peter was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Peter was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Peter also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Peter was raised with 3 brothers and 2 sisters. He had an older brother, Stan; a twin brother, Paul; a younger brother Joe and his sisters, Marjorie and Clare. Peter was constantly involved in activities with his family. Peter and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, Peter was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself. Peter was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything he did as a child, Peter was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around him. Peter took part in a number of activities as a child. He took part in football and baseball. In his spare time he liked carpentry.

Most folks would say that Peter was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. Peter was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences. Because of this, Peter best trusted those people that he truly knew. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that he made, Peter kept. Later in life, he became friends with Ray and Irene Demarce, Mary-Lou and Bob Burden, John Chernachan, John Smith and Malcolm Short.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Peter. He was totally committed to Jacqueline and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. They were married on February 2, 1946 in Ottawa, Ontario. It was as if Peter naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Peter disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Peter was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Peter was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Peter was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Peter was blessed with 2 children, one son, Roger and one daughter, Maureen. They were also blessed with 6 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren, His grandchildren are, Michele, Tania, Michelle, Dylan, Chad, and Candace. His great-grandchildren are Jeffery, Tiffanie, Devon, Kael, Brooklynn, Chase, Parker and Carsten.

If you gave Peter a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Peter was always on task. Without hesitation, Peter could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was Produce Manager. He was employed for 14 years at Safeway and 16 years at CO-OP. During that time, Peter excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Peter was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Peter had at true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Peter was Navy Personnel. He seemed to thrive on the routines offered up by the military. Being a literal thinker with a calm exterior helped him handle the rigors of the military. He was based in Ottawa, Ontario. Peter saw action in World War II. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Naval Sailor.

Peter liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Peter's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Peter preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were his dogs, Pepper and Buddy, and playing the accordian. Peter was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying his hobbies all by himself and could often be found just reading about his favorite pastimes.

While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Peter often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. Recreational sports included golf, fishing, bowling, skiing and camping. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football, hockey and boxing.

An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, his faith was important to Peter. His compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in his personal beliefs. He was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Calgary, Alberta.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Peter had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included Hawaii, Spokane, and Salmon Arm.

Peter had his dogs, Pepper and Buddy, who were his best friends: Pepper for 7 years and Buddy for 7 years. Peter was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

When Peter's retirement finally arrived in December 1, 1990, he was well prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. His new life involved relocating to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In retirement, he found new pleasure ingolf, carpentry, fishing, dog walking, cooking and gardening. Even in retirement, Peter continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

Peter passed away on February 15, 2010 at University Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta. Heart Attack. He is survived by his children, Roger and Maureen; his grandchildren, Michele, Tania, Michelle, Dylan, Chad and Candace; his great-grandchildren, Jeffery, Tiffanie, Devonk, Kael, Brooklynn, Chase, Parker, and Carsten; his brothers, Stan and Paul. Services were held at First Memorial Riverview Chapel in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. Peter was laid to rest in St. Mary's Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Peter was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Peter was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Peter Bartosh was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Peter. He will be missed.