CRAIG ROBERT PETERKIN

Craig Robert Peterkin died on July 10, 2025. He was predeceased by his father Charles Robert (Bob); mother Elizabeth McDougall (Besse); and sister & brother-in-law Janet & Tony Centa, all from the Toronto area. He leaves to remember him his nephews Rob and Stephen (Andrea) of Toronto; and long-time friend and former partner Cathy Hogue-Hamer of Winnipeg.

Craig was born on June 12, 1947, spending his early years in Toronto until the family moved into Sugar Maple Lane in Richmond Hill, ON. He spent many summers at the cottage on Snake Island in Lake Simcoe creating memories he would talk about for years. Craig was a curious man and a true thinker, receiving his Bachelor and Master degrees in Mathematics at York University before moving to Winnipeg and getting his Masters in Computer Science with the other “Fallbrook Boys” at the University of Manitoba. He went on to work at Great West Life and later as a Professor both at the University of Brandon and later at the University of Winnipeg, launching the Business Computing program in the early 1980s and retiring in 2003. He was an excellent educator, consistently receiving accolades from his students.

Craig was a man who enjoyed his solitude, and was an extremely loyal, supportive, and generous friend, maintaining childhood friendships throughout his life. Craig had many romantic loves and could recall in detail memories and stories of significant events in his life, mostly fondly and sometimes regretfully. Atypically, most of these women remained his good friends well after the romance ended. He was a lover of history, words, grammar, languages, numbers, and nature. He had an endless curiosity with animals, birds, and ducks, spending countless hours earning the trust of many creatures simply for the pleasure of feeding them a carrot, a peanut, or some cracked corn or getting that perfect photograph or video. He loved his home on the Assiniboine River which provided endless opportunities to make a new furry or feathered friend.

Craig was diagnosed with dementia in 2021 but was able to stay living in his home until he needed more care than could be safely provided, and he eventually moved through a serious of underwhelming facilities until finally entering into Riverview Health Centre. Several private caregivers provided excellent care and companionship for Craig over the past 4 years, namely Jane, Donna, Jenny, Erin, and Paula. The family cannot thank them enough for looking after Craig’s best interests, keeping him as active as possible, and ensuring he was able to participate and socialize with others when his mood was good. You have been Craig’s saving grace and a true blessing for the family.

We send many thanks to the staff at Riverview 2B for your compassionate work. You have an incredibly difficult job dealing daily with residents who are alive but not really living in this moment and who are not the person they once were. It’s so hard on friends and family to watch the decline of their loved ones and the Riverview staff helps with the transition and performs the many, many difficult tasks of supporting people with dementia. It takes a special person, and Riverview has found many of them!

Per Craig’s wishes, he will be cremated and interred with his parents in Toronto at the Mount Pleasant cemetery. Craig was an incredibly private person and did not want a public service. If you wish to make a donation in his memory, please choose your favourite animal shelter.

Craig leaves you with the lyrics of his favourite artist, Van Morrison, from the song Brand New Day:

When all the dark clouds roll away

And the sun begins to shine

I see my freedom from across the way

And it comes right in on time

Well it shines so bright 

And it gives so much light

And it comes from the sky above

Make me feel so free, 

Make me feel like me

And it lights my life with love 

Craig’s family kindly requests that all of his friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour his memory by sharing photos, memories, and stories, using the comment section on this page.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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