Obituary of Peter Mitcham

Sackville, N.B.- It is with sadness that the family of Peter Mitcham, announce his passing on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at the Sackville Memorial Hospital. Peter is survived by his wife of 55 years, Allison (Brown); three children, Stephanie (Patrick) of Sumner, Iowa, Naomi of Whitehorse, Yukon and Chad (Sue) of Canberra, Australia, as well as three grandchildren, Ross Mitcham Timpany of Whitehorse and James and Genevieve Mitcham of Canberra. As a youth, Peter served in the British Fleet Air Arm. Later, he attended the University of New Brunswick (Fredericton), Cambridge University (England) and Edinburgh University (Scotland). From the latter he received his PhD in English Literature. He taught English at the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), the University of Western Ontario (London) and Mount Allison University (Sackville)- the latter until his retirement. The Mitchams have lived in Sackville for the last 50 years. Peter was the author of several published stories and illustrator of more than 20 books, as well as a series of black and white drawings for the Globe and Mail. For many of his illustrations he received accolades by newspaper and periodical critics from Halifax to Victoria. He was also an excellent all-round athlete and a champion swimmer. Beloved father and grandfather, he taught his children to swim, took them regularly to the beach and cross-country skiing and read them nightly bedtime stories. After retiring, he built a lovely island cottage, with help from Chad, and for 50 years he and Allison gardened extensively on their Pond Shore property. Arrangements are entrusted to Campbell’s Funeral Home, 89 Bridge Street, Sackville, N.B.(364-8188). Cremation has taken place and there will be no service. The photographs included at the beginning of this obituary are of Peter with his three children, Naomi, Chad and Stephanie and of Peter and his first grandchild, Ross.