McBRIDE, PETER - Peter McBride put heart into everything he did: into being a husband and father, into firefighting and community service, into the kindness he habitually showed others, into practical jokes and making people laugh, into scuba diving and riding his Harley. Whatever he did, he gave it his all. What Peter held closest to his heart was his family: his wife, Catherine (Cooke), and his four-year-old son Evan. He was an exemplary father and a beloved husband, son, brother and friend. He leaves his parents, Betty and David McBride, St. Stephen, his brother Steven, sister Diane Gregory (Kirk), nieces Carolyn and Laura. He was predeceased by his brother Michael, who died in 2001. He will also be missed by special friends Brian and Tricia Cumberland, and his dive partner and best man, Steve Backman. Pete put his heart into making his community a better place. He dedicated 20 years to the St. Stephen Fire Department, rising from firefighter to lieutenant to captain. He mentored younger firefighters with generosity and wisdom. He always responded to fire calls as if a member of his own family were at risk –- as quickly as possible, putting his whole heart into whatever needed to be done. If you knew Pete at all, you knew he loved riding his Harley. He was also a scuba diver and boater, and in years past he’d raced stock cars and gone skydiving. Peter hunted and fished, and last year, in an effort to take up a non-risky hobby, he joined the guitar club. He enjoyed playing at local concerts in St. Stephen. Pete was a welder with the New Brunswick Department of Transportation for more than 30 years, and he put his heart into that, too—so much so that co-workers called him “the Surgeon of Steel.” In work, as in the rest of his life, he looked for ways to use his skills giving back to the community. Each year, he created weather vanes to be auctioned off to raise funds for charities. Peter McBride died early Tuesday morning at Saint John Regional Hospital as the result of injuries that occurred in a motorcycle accident on April 30.
Visitation will take place Friday, June 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at The S.O. Mehan and Son Funeral Home Ltd., 23 Main Street, St. Stephen, NB. Pete’s family and friends will celebrate his life on Saturday, June 11 at 2 p.m., at the Funeral Home. Family flowers only, please. In memory of Pete, please make a donation to the St. Stephen Fire Department or the charity of your choice.