Obituaries

Peter Gregory Tremblay

February 18, 1946 – December 18, 2024

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Peter G. Tremblay, who left us after prolonged health issues on December 18th, 2024, at the age of 78 years old. He leaves behind his wife, Linda Yule-Tremblay, children, Jenness (Neil), Rochelle (Ben), and Andrew (Laura), as well as his nine cherished grandchildren, Joseph, Jonah, Anne, Sally, Nathan, Michael, Magdalene, Ava, and Aspen. He is lovingly remembered by his surviving siblings, as well as his extended family, with many nieces and nephews on both sides of the family, living across Canada and beyond. He will be welcomed into Heaven by his parents, Ernest and Jeannie, parents-in-law, Merlin and Alma, brother Daniel, and sister Pat. He will be so pleased to be in their presence again.

Peter loved people and thrived on connection. He had an incredible ability to walk into any room and quickly find someone he knew or someone who knew someone he knew, sparking joyful conversations that left a lasting impression on everyone he met. His deep knowledge of people was his greatest strength, serving him well throughout his career and life.
Born in Dalhousie, New Brunswick, Peter trained for the RCMP in Regina and began his career as a young police officer in Manitoba, where he met his future wife, Linda, during a lunch date in Brandon. Together, they made Manitoba their home, raising their family from north to south. Peter was deeply committed to his role as a ‘peace’ officer, always ready to serve his community, whether directing traffic or responding to emergencies, even while the family was on vacation. Peter retired from the RCMP in 1991 and the family left Stonewall, Manitoba, for new adventures in Okotoks, and later Calgary, Alberta. Peter developed another strong network in Alberta, enjoying diverse career experiences. After making Alberta home for almost 20 years, Linda and Peter returned to Manitoba to retire and relive the beloved Manitoba summers. Their family home was built on the banks of Lake Winnipeg, where Peter was reminded of the northern New Brunswick shores he often longed for. Peter loved to sit and watch the water, grateful for the beautiful view, made even better by his family swimming and playing under his post as lifeguard. The Silver Harbour home held many great memories for all.

Peter’s desire to learn about language, especially French, culture, and history, filled his free time. He gathered books around him as a portal for discovering more about himself and the world. From learning how to give haircuts, build a deck, bake bread, and learn Russian, Peter found great joy in sharing random facts about what he had learned with those around him. His passion for knowledge had an impact, instilling a love of reading in two more generations. He was immensely proud of his children and grandchildren; their curiosity about the world, and desire to create, learn, travel, play sports, speak French, and serve others, can certainly be tied back to Peter’s influence.

Peter loved sports. There wasn’t an important hockey game that Peter missed on television. He was a fan of attending Jets and Bombers games and enjoyed talking about sports with fellow armchair coaches. He spent many hours in arenas and baseball diamonds coaching teens and his children, volunteering in community clubs after work, and playing hockey late at night with his fellow NHL (night hockey league) teammates. Peter cheered on his children, no matter what the activity. He modelled the importance of being an involved community member, sharing his time and energy to support experiences for youth. Peter was an active individual, who enjoyed ‘puttering’ in his yard, and especially in his garage. With tools and equipment carefully curated and ready for any activity, Peter had the heart of an adventurer, ready to hunt, swim, ski, build, or bike with anyone willing. Many fond memories are of Peter organizing some kind of adventure: an impromptu family hike at Oak Hammock Marsh with extended family (with a school bus included), neighbourhood kids organized into teams for (very serious) baseball games, cross-country ski trips on the coldest days, Sunday picnic drives that always ended up at a lakeshore, and trips to the mountains to coincidentally end up at a destination where one of the kids were living. Peter was a fun person to be around when he was in adventure mode.

Peter was a faithful man. He prayed every day and took pride in being a Catholic, devoted to a life of prayer, reflection, and gratefulness. He volunteered his time and service to the Catholic Church, experiencing a strong connection to the fraternal organization, the Knights of Columbus. He valued their service to the community, reaped the rewards of a career with the insurance arm of the organization, and believed strongly in the ties of family and faith.

We would like to thank all family and friends for their support and prayers over the past few years while Peter’s health declined. As a gregarious, talkative storyteller in life, Peter spent the last few months of his life unable to speak due to the cumulative effect of his stroke condition. Although it seemed he was robbed of his greatest gift of expression, when asked how he felt about this at the end of his days, he indicated that he spent his time in prayer, thinking about his family, and reflecting with gratitude on a life well lived. Peter lived a very blessed life and shared that he felt so grateful for all that he experienced in this beautiful world with his loved ones by his side. His best friend and wife, Linda, was the love of his life, and he lit up every time he saw her. Together, they travelled the world, took risks, and tried new things, building a life where family could be the center of their lives. Peter’s life was a testament to his desire for connection and his unwavering commitment to his family and those around him.

The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing. – Unknown
Rest in peace, Peter.

There will be no formal service. Cremation has taken place, and a private family interment will occur in the summer of 2025 in Regina at the RCMP Cemetery.

A Funeral Mass will take place on January 4th, 2024, at 11:00 am in Brooks, Alberta, at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church. Zoom link available; please contact one of Peter’s children for more information.