Obituary of Peter Chalmers

Peter Chalmers 1927-2017 PETER CHALMERS, 90, of Saskatoon, originally from Dundonald, Scotland, passed away peacefully in his home on May 12, 2017. Left to cherish Peter's memory are his three children: WILLIAM CHALMERS (Patricia Wacholtz) of Blaine Lake, step-grandchildren Nicole, Samantha and Madisyn); MALCOLM CHALMERS (Susan nee Hill) of Saskatoon, grandchildren Alastair and Katherine; and RUTH CHALMERS of Ellicott City, Maryland, grandchildren Christian and Callum. He is also lovingly remembered by his brother WILLIAM CHALMERS (Pat Chalmers) and their family in Scotland. Peter was predeceased by his wife of 24 years, Stella Chalmers, his parents William Chalmers and Elizabeth (Swan) Chalmers of Cardenden, Scotland, and his sister Bette Bailey of Plymouth, England. A special thank you to the Home Care staff who enabled Peter to stay in his own home during his illness. Peter Chalmers, the eldest son of William and Elizabeth (nee Swan) Chalmers, was born by midwife on March 16, 1927 at home at 27 Minto Cottage, Brig Hills near Dundonald, Scotland. He went to school at Lochgelly Fife south school and then he transferred to the east school. As was common in the day, he left school at 14, and started work at Dundonald Colliery (or the Lady Helen) and served his time there of 6-7 years and then moved to the Dora Colliery for a year. Peter saw an opportunity past the coal mines in Scotland, and traveled to Ghana, Africa where he was an electrician in the gold mines for three stints of a year and a half each. When he came back from Ghana, he worked in Rothes Colliery, located in Glenrothes, Scotland. Peter and his siblings, Willy and Bette, decided to travel Europe....on motorcycles. They travelled to Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and France. When they came home and shared about their adventure with their pals, plans were made for a second trip. So off the brothers went to Europe again the very next year in an old Daimler (car) with second hand scrappies (tires). They traveled to London, Belgium, Holland and Paris. This adventure lasted three weeks, and three sets of tires. In 1957 he moved to Canada, and started working in Toronto. By 1959 he was working in Saskatoon. Peter stated that he knew he was onto a good thing the minute he saw Stella, and after a brief courtship Peter and Stella were married on October 22, 1960. They were on their own for only a year until the news came that their family would be expanding. William was born April 27, 1962, Malcolm was born September 23, 1963, and Ruth followed on October 8, 1964. Peter worked as an electrician at Potash Corporation of America at Patience Lake just out of Saskatoon until the mine flooded. He was then transferred to northern Ontario and the family moved to Thunder Bay and lived there until 1979 when Stella wanted to move back home to Saskatchewan to be near her sister Ollie. The family moved back into the home on Albert Avenue, the very same home Peter lived in for the remainder of his life. On June 20, 1985, Peter's world stopped with Stella's untimely death. His world became very small...it consisted of his routine of errands, visiting his friend Andy on occasion, but mostly sitting in his favourite easy chair, his feet up, watching TV, and having a smoke. During the years he spent alone, he also tended the pigeons he kept in the greenhouse/pigeon coop, and cared for his beloved labrador retrievers and housecats. Peter was diagnosed with throat cancer in December 2016 and then lung cancer in 2017. After receiving a very dire prognosis on April 6th, his wish was to travel to Scotland to see his brother Willy. On April 29th, 2017, Peter stepped foot in his homeland of Scotland. The flight was gruelling for him, but Peter was finally able to receive that long awaited hug from his brother. Peter loved the daily visits with Willy, the meals that Aunty Pat cooked for him, and he reveled in traditional Scottish foods like Scotch pie, haggis, mince, neeps and taddies, and having high tea with nephew Neil and his family. Peter thought he would live forever. He was still planning things for this summer and even into next winter. But forever came to an end four days after he came home from Scotland. On May 12, 2017, as he wished, Peter died peacefully in his bed in his own home. He took Stella's hand once more....to be together again.