With great sadness we announce the death of Peter Alan Brett at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on February 22, 2015. Peter was many things to many people. He avidly pursued an eclectic array of interests, some as careers, many as passionate enthusiasms. He was variously - at times concurrently - a radio technician, hard rock miner, bus driver, electrical engineer, inventor, house builder, salesman, business executive, civil servant, stock broker, outdoorsman, gardener, husband and father. All who knew him will remember his wide-ranging curiosity, restless energy, and self-confident determination.
Peter was born March 23, 1926, at Winnipeg, Manitoba to Newton and Flora (nee Batters) Brett. His first great passion was radios. At 15 years old, he built a powerful receiver that picked up the attack on Pearl Harbour 4000 miles away. He always claimed to be one of the first to know about it. Following WW2 military service, he took a Bachelor of Engineering degree at the University of Manitoba. This led him to the oil fields of Alberta where he met and married the love of his life, Joan Elizabeth Milne, of Magog, Quebec. Two children followed, John and Alexandra, and moves to Calgary, Winnipeg, New York, Halifax, and finally to Morris Island, near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Peter loved this place the most. He worked to both enhance and show off its special qualities, planting a notable collection of exotic rhododendrons, other shrubs and trees, to create a garden unique in Nova Scotia. He also loved this community, actively supporting many organisations, including the Villa Saint-Joseph du Lac, the Yarmouth County Historical Society, the Argyle Municipality Historical & Genealogical Society, the Yarmouth Regional Hospital, and St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Tusket.
Peter is predeceased by his wife, Joan. He is survived by his sister, Joanne Sibley (Jeremy) of Salt Spring Island, BC; his son John (Mern O’Brien) of Halifax; his daughter Alex (Michèle Demers) and grand-daughter Eva Demers-Brett of Ottawa. The family thanks all the wonderful people who helped Peter, especially during the final years: friends, neighbours and care-givers in Yarmouth County, the devoted staff at Melville Heights and at Camp Hill Veterans Hospital. A special thanks to Sherry Huffman, Peter’s weekday companion during his last months.
A memorial celebration for both Peter and Joan will be held in Yarmouth County this summer, the date and location to be announced at a later time.