Margaret, it's been over a year since your father passed but I'd still like you to know that I'm sorry for your loss and that you get this message.  I think of you often and hope you've found peace and harmony in your life.

To Peter's family I want to tell you how dear this gentle man was to those of us on the World Day of Prayer Committee.  We shared roles in the services.  Peter will be sorely missed.  I knew your Mother from the days of the Unicef collection boxes!  She was a keen volunteer.  How well they've served!   "Well done good and faithful servants," surely fits Judith and Peter.

Peter is proof that , fortunately, not all of the good die young. But still, both he and Judith died too soon. I'll always remember his sardonic, yet kind and understanding comments whether talking about students or colleagues.

Ellen Shields (Professor Emeritus, Dept  of English, University of Waterloo)

Peter was a long time, generous supporter of the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery and a friend of the arts throughout Waterloo Region.  He had a keen interest in our Gallery's permanent collection of 4,000 artworks and enjoyed the exhibitions.  We were honoured to work with Peter in his leadership capacity with the Ontario Trillium Foundation.  He was a gentleman with a quiet dignity, gentle humour and kindness - it was a privilege to know him.  Please accept the most sincere sympathy of the board members, staff and volunteers of the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery.

Shirley Madill, Executive Director.

I didn't have the good fortune to work with Peter Hinchcliffe as he retired before I came to St. Jerome's, but still he made a strong impression on me. The stories I heard of him from my colleagues, and the people at the New Quarterly, reflected the vivid, deep, and caring personality that shone through in the few times I had the pleasure to meet him in person. His love of literature, and his encouragement of others, brought a spark to his eye that was immediately inspiring. I was honoured to say a few words about him the last time I saw him at the New Quarterly event where we announced the fiction prize named in his honour. When it was suggested that the St Jerome's English Department sponsor that award, the warm feelings toward him as a former colleague were tangible. He will be very much missed. My sincere condolences to his family.

I was deeply honoured to work with Peter during the past 6 years at the Ontario Trillium Foundation.  He was a treasure and deeply committed to his community.  He was an insightful, caring, deeply considerate and kind man and we were blessed with his presence on our Grant Review Team. I last saw Peter in March at our bi-annual conference and I was so happy that he was able to join us for lunch.  Lots of laughter, great stories and Peter's quiet and wonderful sense of humour were ever present.  He will be greatly missed. To John, Carol, Margaret, Tanis and Richard, our thoughts are with you at this difficult time.  

Mary-Jo Sullivan
Program Manager
Ontario Trillium Foundation

I had the privilege of being taught by Peter when I was an undergraduate, of working with him and learning from him as a colleague (particularly from our many years on the Arts admissions committee together), and in later years of being able to share friendship with him.  He epitomized the term "good man"--he was decent, kind, honourable, witty, intelligent, and humble.  We are better for having known him and having learned from him.  To Margaret and John and his family and friends, Kevin and I send our sympathy and our grateful thanks for his presence in our lives and his example of how to live well.
Dana Woito and Kevin Donelson

I wish to send my condolences to Peter Hinchcliffe's family, and to add some of my personal recollections of our fifty-year friendship. Peter and I began our academic careers together, hired by W.F. Blissett in 1962 to teach English literature at Huron College at Western -- a Catholic and a Jew at an Anglican college. We had next-door basement offices there, and shared four years of learning and laughter, as well as the pipe smoke that left his ground-level window and curved around into mine. As we all know, he was a quiet man, but he had an endearing wildness that popped up from time to time -- for instance, when he set his gown flying with huge slides along the hard, smooth corridors, or when he performed all parts in whole Goon Show episodes. He was a mimic (he did a great Marshall McLuhan, who told Peter "The whole of western civilizatiobn is contained in the electric toothbrush -- literally," but he was in fact a fine actor, playing the old man-bear in a production I directed of The Old Wives Tale, and the taxing role of The Spirit of the Woods in an open-air production of Comus in which we both participated. He was ideal for those roles, for he could speak intelligently, patiently, with the kind of unpretentious dignity that he embodied in his own life. It was a good life, and I am thankful it touched mine.
David Blostein, Toronto.

We are so sorry to hear of your father's death.  The few times we met and were with your father, it was always enjoyable and fun.  Please know that our thoughts are with you during this sad time.
Doug and Martha

Peter's quiet strength and intelligence inspired all of us who knew him and worked with him on The New Quarterly.  How we will miss this advocate for life, literature, and a well turned phrase.   His infectious smile and ceaseless integrity will linger and keep his memory strong.

I would like to offer my condolences to your family.  I always enjoyed talking to Mr. Hinchcliffe when he came in to see me with his dogs.  He was always so warm and kind towards his dogs and so courteous with me and the staff.  He was a true gentleman.  

Rachel Dawson. (Lark's doctor)

I will remember Peter fondly as a true gentleman in every sense of the word. His  encyclopaedic knowledge of literature and quiet sense of humour greatly enriched our meetings. He will be missed. 
Rene Alexander
Bon Vivants Book Club

John and Margaret, I am so very sorry to hear of your father's passing. He was a lovely man and a true gentleman. There are not many of his ilk left, and I shall miss his gentle wit and dry humour a great deal. He and your mother were such good, kind, and loyal friends to me for so many years; I shall remember them always. You and Carol are in my thoughts.

Peter was invaluable to me when I arrived at St Jerome's in 1993 as a keen, determined, sometimes impulsive, often exhausted young English prof. He could always be counted on to dispense encouragement, advice (when requested), self-deprecating stories, odd-but-pertinent nuggets of information--and chocolate. 

My memories of St Jerome's are saturated with Peter's broad-ranging knowledge, his subterranean wit, his shy giggle, and his quiet commitment to the community, particularly the students, who loved him dearly. In many ways, he continues to stand for me as an exemplar of the values of that place, and as a model of engaged citizenship in the broader world.

I offer my condolences to his beloved children. He was a cherished colleague, a loyal friend, a generous community-builder, and a very, very fine man. I will miss him.

Peter Hinchcliffe was very important to me when I came to St. Jerome's University as a new faculty member and a new Dean. He was Chair of College Council at the time and his institutional memory was invaluable as we worked on the agenda each month. He also was Chair of our Ad Hoc Handbook Committee as we struggled to bring that document up to date with current practice - or vice versa. When Charlene Diehl Jones left, he agreed to Chair the Department of English leading it through its first hire in many years. Regardless of the problem, dispute, or even crisis, he was unflappably calm and reasonable. Peter gave strong, quiet but indispensible service to St. Jerome's University and to the University of Waterloo (particularly their admissions committee) and gave strong, quiet but indispensible advice to me as a new Dean and ongoing faculty member. You and your contributions will be missed, Peter.   

Kieran and Margaret

When I first came to St. Jerome's University, my office was beside Peter's. He was an excellent colleague and model at that time. He was always a scholar and a gentlemen in the very best sense of those words. I will be out of town for the funeral but Peter and his family will be in my prayers.

I am sad to learn of the death of Peter, a fine colleague and quiet worker on behalf of students and their welfare. Peter was learned but humble, generous, warm and loyal. My condolences to his family members. Carmeta Abbott, former colleague at St. Jerome's University.

Margaret and John, 
I was so sorry to read of your father's death. He was such a lovely man. I often ran into him outside my mom' house when he was walking his dogs. I will miss our little chats. Thinking of you. 
Heather Mackay

OBITUARY

Peter Hinchcliffe

November 2, 1936 – November 20, 2012

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