Peter J Fink

1934-2024

Calgary, February 19, 2024

The Fink family is sad to announce the passing of their father, Peter, on February 19 in Calgary. Peter was predeceased by his loving wife of over 60 years, Marlene (Jones), and his siblings Gerry, Catherine, Napoleon, Paul, Patricia, and Pauline. He is survived by his brother John, his children Christopher (Laura Anne), James (Caz) and Jennifer, his grandsons Daniel (Jenna) and Andrew (Allana) and great granddaughters Addison and Annalise.

Peter was born into a large Ottawa family to Dr. Charles and Kathleen Fink and spent his youth cycling around the city, canoeing the Ottawa River, skiing, skating and whiling away the summers at the family cottage in Luskville, Quebec. After graduating from Ottawa’s Lisgar Collegiate Institute Peter received a diploma in engineering from St. Francis Xavier University in 1957 and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from McGill University in 1959. That year, Peter accepted a position with Dow Chemical Canada and began his career at Dow’s Sarnia, Ontario, operations. Peter met Marlene in Sarnia and they married in 1961. Children followed in quick succession.

Peter worked as a process engineer at Dow in Sarnia in a number of roles until 1973, when he and the family moved to Lake Jackson, Texas, where design was underway for Alberta’s first ethylene plant to be located at Joffre. In 1977, the Finks uprooted themselves once more and moved permanently to Red Deer. Peter was the lead process engineer for the first Joffre ethylene plant commissioned in 1979 and the manager of Process Design & Operations for the second Joffre plant, commissioned in 1984. Peter’s career culminated in his position as Project Manager of Dow’s Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta ethylene plant completed in 1994. In doing so he played a significant role in the development of the whole of Alberta’s ethylene production. Peter retired from Dow in 1995 and began consulting, first with his own company, Oletech Inc, then as a partner in KemeX Ltd., a chemical process consulting firm. Peter retired permanently in 2010. Peter’s energy and intelligence were virtues that served him well throughout his career and he was a highly respected authority in his field. In recognition, Peter received the 1993 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering Award in Industrial Practice for distinguished contribution in the application of chemical engineering.

Peter was an active member of the Red Deer community both during and after his engineering career. Peter and Marlene were longtime parishioners at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Peter served as a board member of the Red Deer College Foundation, the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra, and Meals on Wheels. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Red Deer and the Red Deer Golf and Country Club. Peter loved to sing and was a member of several choirs in Sarnia and Red Deer.

Peter’s family and friends will remember him as a generous, thoughtful, principled man who possessed a strong sense of commitment and duty. Peter was a loving husband and father who, despite his busy professional life, always made time for family and, of course, friends.

Peter will be remembered and missed by many.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Peter’s honour may be made to The Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada or The Alzheimer Society of Canada.

A funeral mass will be held on Monday, June 10^th at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Red Deer and will be livestreamed on the St. Mary’s Parish Red Deer website (https://stmarysparish.jimdo.com/  , scroll to the “Livestreamed Mass” link). Condolences to the family may be made by visiting www.eventidefuneralchapels.com

• Date : 2024-02-19
• Location : Eventide Funeral Home