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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
CHANDLER, Peter Bennett - January 31, 1925 to February 18, 2021 Peter passed peacefully and happily at his Courtenay home at the age of 96 with family by his side, and having had his children and many of his grandchildren visiting throughout his last week. Peter is predeceased by his first wife Blanche (age 63) and his eldest sons David (at birth) and Bruce (59). He is survived by a large and loving family including wife Lola, sisters Louise and Daisy (George), children Jim, Ross, Elaine (Tatsumi), daughter-in-law Cynthia and 12 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren as well as Lola's children Jann (Tim), Dave (Julie), Skarlat, 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Born in Victoria, his family moved to Courtenay when he was 9 to carve out a 160-acre farm by the Puntledge River before the family returned to Victoria in 1941. He served with the Canadian Navy in WWII and graduated with a BSc. in Pharmacy in 1950 from UBC. He moved to Cumberland in 1957 and became sole proprietor of Cumberland Drugs until, in 1975, he developed and became the first Director of the pharmacy at St. Joseph's Hospital in Comox. Through the years Peter was an active member of the Comox Valley Unitarian Fellowship, the Comox Valley Naturalists Society and Elder College and supported many environmental causes. He had a great love for learning, devouring his newspaper and various scientific magazines daily, as well as studying an ancient Chinese philosophy - The Tao, and Eastern spirituality even into his last weeks. Peter was a builder, a gardener, and travelled extensively with first Blanche, and then Lola, including hiking and exploring Vancouver Island that he loved from top to toe. He leaves behind a great legacy with the Annual Miracle Beach Family Campout event which he began with Lola in 1998. As many as 80 family and friends have camped or visited each year bonding the family together over five generations. Celebrations of life will be held electronically in the near future, as well as around the next annual Campout (date TBA) and open to all. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to your favourite charity in Peter's name. (Victoria Times Colonist 28 Feb 2021)
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