Obituary of PETER ANTHONY TURNER

Peter Anthony Turner passed away peacefully on May 30th , 2019 in Selkirk, Manitoba at age 78 with his family by his side.

Peter was predeceased by his parents Betsy and Alec Turner, his Uncle Jim and Aunt Ethel, and his first wife Margaret of Nottingham, England.

Peter is survived by his daughter Megan Turner, her husband Mike and his beloved grandson Joseph Mulligan, his son Paul Turner, his second wife Maria Turner and his brother Brian Turner and wife Janet of Nottingham, England. Peter was loved by many nieces and nephews and friends he considered to be family.

Peter was born in Nottingham, England. Upon leaving school he initially worked in his family business but decided to spread his wings and began work as a saw doctor. He met his first wife Margaret at 21 and married soon after but sadly she became very ill and died two years later from a brain tumour. This was very hard for Peter to bear and he decided to make a new start abroad. He worked for Garfield Weston on his private yacht and then on cruise ships and as a Merchant Marine until he met his second wife Maria and settled down and raised a family. After moving to Canada in 1972 he worked in hospitality, until he was able to pursue a passion as a technical engineer with a handful of companies, most recently Hi-Tech.

Peter was an adventurous man. He loved to ride motorcycles and enjoyed anything outdoors. He was an excellent climber and enjoyed his time with his mate Doug Scott. He went on to teach climbing at an Outward Bound School. He loved to sail. He loved to swim, bike and was always up for a long walk and a chat. He was a family man who loved his second wife Maria dearly. Peter loved to travel. There wasn’t a place he wanted to visit that he hadn’t been. This love of exploring continued throughout his life, providing his children with the gift of learning about life by living it.

Peter’s presence lit up a room, and his laughter was infectious! With a tremendous sense of humor and the ability to always “have a laugh”, Peter loved to be amongst people. Even before he had his own children, it was obvious he loved to be around them. When the neighborhood kids would ask, “Can Peter come out to play?” he was always happy to oblige. A Professional Putterer, a Jack of all Trades, and a handyman of sorts, Peter loved to work with his hands and fix things, especially for other people. And if he couldn’t fix it, he would just give you his.

Peter had a heart of gold, and would do just about anything for anyone. He spent many hours volunteering for Graffiti Gallery, and enjoyed spending time with the young people, often finding odd jobs for them. He was a talented artist in his own right, which led him into planning and design for Pilkington Glass. Peter adored his children and loved to spend time with them and their friends. The door to his house was always open, as was the kitchen! There weren’t many meals that didn’t consist of some family and friends and anyone he thought could use a home cooked meal.

As a teenager, apart from the usual teenage shenanigans, Peter played rugby as a founding member of the Moderns RFC in Nottingham, England. He was a lifelong supporter of Manchester United and the English National Football Team. Peter brought the same passion and sense of fairness to coaching both soccer for Westdale CC in Charleswood and rugby for the Wombats RFC in Winnipeg.

Peter was a kind man who loved animals. He loved to walk his dogs Sherpa and Dexter by the lake, close to his home in Matlock, Manitoba. Peter volunteered with the Winnipeg Humane Society. One of his favourite volunteer activities was being Santa for their annual Christmas pet pictures.

Peter was a humble and wise man who enjoyed the simplicities of life, being in the garden, birdwatching or just a cup of tea in his rocking chair in one of the many rooms and porches he designed and built.

Thank you to the staff of Red River Place in Selkirk, Manitoba. A special thank you to Natalie, Juliette, Laura, Sol, Lauren and Josh for your unwavering support in making a difficult time manageable for all. Peter touched the lives of many, he was loved deeply and will be missed dearly.

 A Celebration of Peter’s life will be held on Thursday, June 6 at 2:00 p.m. at Cropo Funeral Chapel, 1442 Main Street.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Graffiti Art Programming Inc., The Winnipeg Humane Society, Assiniboine Park Zoo or a charity of your choice.