It is with profound sadness that the family of Peter George Underwood announces his passing at the age of 66 in Red Deer on Thursday, September 24, 2020, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Peter was born in Ottawa, Ontario on October 27, 1953, the third of four children to Ronald Walter and Lucy Elizabeth. He spent his childhood in Nitro (Valleyfield), Quebec, figure skating, listening to hockey games on the radio, biking, bowling, and playing in the “acid ditch” with his siblings and the three-eyed frogs. Peter attended Montreal Canadiens games as often as he was able to and this is where his lasting love for hockey and the Habs began. His childhood was further shaped by his devotion to his mother, who was paralyzed by polio early in Peter’s life. In 1969, after finishing high school early, he travelled out west on the train to work at the Jasper Park Lodge. During his infrequent days off he climbed Mt. Edith Cavell, biked anywhere he could, and took photos with the Voitlander Bessa camera given to him by his father, who passed on to him a lifelong passion for photography. On the advice of his manager at Jasper Park Lodge, who clearly recognized his gifts, he moved to England one year later at the young age of 17 to continue his training in Hotel Management. True to his adventurous spirit, he seized the opportunity to move to the place of his parents’ birth.)

While Peter had a varied and successful career in England, he began his life there by living in the staff quarters at the Headland Hotel in Newquay despite not actually working there. He then moved on to an apprenticeship at the Parkway Hotel in Leeds, honing his skills and forming long-lasting friendships with a colourful cast of characters. His training was both excellent and traditional, inspiring his eye for detail, and lifelong commitment to perfection, professionalism, and things being done right. Following this, he became the manager of the historic Kildwick Hall in Skipton, Yorkshire, which was a Jacobean manor built in 1559. At this Egon Ronay 5 Star Hotel, he catered to celebrities and royalty. In fact, John Cleese was a notable guest, and took inspiration for several episodes of Fawlty Towers (including The Wedding Party) from the anecdotes Peter shared about his experiences at this highly regarded hotel.

During his time at Kildwick Hall, Peter met his beloved ‘Jancy Pooh’ – his future wife. Peter’s flair for upscale fashion and impeccable manners stood out from the crowd at the local Bingley disco. Meeting through mutual friends while Peter was sporting tails and sharing a magnum of Moet Chandon, it was love at first sight. She couldn’t resist his Davy Jones good looks, debonair charm, and smooth Canadian accent. They had an instant rapport and didn’t want to leave each other’s side. She was his “lady in red” as they danced the nights away to the likes of Donna Summers and Phil Collins.

A short year after meeting, Jan and Peter got married on May 27, 1978. The wedding took place in St. Paul’s Parish Church in Shipley, with the reception at the Old Hall in Howarth, one of their favourite places to be. True to his style, Peter was married in a top hat and tails. Prior to their wedding, Peter had accepted a job in London, so soon after the wedding the two took off for the big city. Another of Peter’s passions was cars, and this job afforded him the opportunity to work with Rolls Royce at their pinnacle. During their four years in London, Peter and Jan truly embraced the culture of London frequenting shows on the West End, spending time visiting castles and museums, and going on Guiness pub crawls. Though he only visited London a few times after moving to Canada, it remained one of his favourite places in the world.

In the summer of 1981, during a visit with Peter’s parents in Chateaugay, Quebec, Peter was recruited to be the banquet manager of the Mayfield Inn in Edmonton, Alberta. Peter took the job as it allowed him to be a bit closer to his family in Canada and to move back into the hotel industry that he had trained to work in. Within a month, Peter had moved to Edmonton. Jan, equally as adventurous as her husband, followed a few months later, now 5 months pregnant with their first child. During their time apart, Peter and Jan stayed connected through sending hand-written love letters; these love letters will forever be a cherished family keepsake. Peter secured them an apartment in the La Villa Belvedere building in Edmonton, which to Jan’s English sensibilities sounded very fancy. It was not. It was there, however, where they made wonderful lasting friendships.

Jan and Peter stayed in Edmonton for a few years before moving to Red Deer. While it wasn’t his first job in town, his Red Deer legacy began at the Crown and Anchor. Though the Crown has been closed for decades, friends still regale us with tales of this home away from home. He subsequently managed many pubs and had a talent for turning them into amazing places for people to have a great time. He cared for his staff and his customers in a way that went above and beyond; they were his family and they knew it. No matter the type of person, Peter would make a connection. He was just as happy talking about hockey as he was about the ballet. He loved rock music equally to the symphony. He was comfortable in the presence of royalty or regular joes. Even more, he loved to have a good time. His laugh was hilarious and infectious, and his jokes terribly off colour. If you went for a beer (or 12) at one of Peter’s pubs, you were in for a great time. During the past four years, Peter returned to his roots in hotel management working at the Black Knight Inn. The staff there became his family away from home. He talked fondly of having the greatest and hardest working team and always commented on how everyone supported each other, from the owners, to the manager, to the cleaners. He was sad that the Black Knight Inn closed during COVID and he was never able to return.

Outside of work, Peter was also a wonderful father to four children, Lucy, Leon, Lara and Lorna. He was a loving and affectionate Dad, who would do anything for his kids. It didn’t matter when or where he was needed, he would drop everything and go to help them. He was so proud of his children and supported them in all of their endeavours (even though he never quite got their names straight). Peter will forever live on through their memories of spending time with him, paddle boating at Bower Ponds, Sunday adventures to random small towns in Alberta, and bike rides to every corner of Red Deer along the beautiful bike trails. His children love photography just as he did and owe their appreciation of all things historical, music, cars (fast, old, luxurious, or even all three!), travel, hockey, nature, and animals to him.

A devoted grandpa, he loved spending time with his three granddaughters, Ciara, Emily and Abigail. Even in his last days, Peter’s face lit up when he saw any of them. They shared many special moments together: first tastes of ice cream, first steps, learning to skate, playing together at the park, throwing rocks in the river, and visits to the zoo. His granddaughters brought him such joy, in fact, the only time he truly relaxed was when he was cuddling with one of his babies.

Peter’s main loves in life were his family, but a VERY close second were his pets, most notably Buddy, Rosie and Cali. One of the highlights of Peter’s day was taking Buddy or Rosie to the dog park. Peter had a special bond with Buddy and would take him everywhere he could. He would even drive to a different town to go to the hardware store that allowed Buddy to come in with him.

Peter was everything to everyone. He saw the best in people and made everyone he was with feel special whether it be a stranger, a friend, or his family. He will forever be remembered, and often quoted, by the many that he touched throughout his life. Rest in peace dear Peter.

Peter is predeceased by his parents Ronald and Lucy Underwood. Peter is survived by his wife Jan, four children Lucy Raven (Matthew), Leon Underwood (Camille), Lara Underwood (Chris), and Lorna Backus (Kevin), his three grandchildren Ciara, Emily, and Abigail, and his siblings Bruce Underwood (Editha), Graham Underwood (Jen), and Jane Underwood (Ron).

• Date : 2020-09-24
• Location : Red Deer