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June 7, 1942 - July 5, 2020
Peter was born and raised in Victoria, B.C., the only child of Alexander Bell and Shirley "Mildred" Bell (née Camsusa). He passed away shortly after being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. He is dearly missed by his beloved wife, Marion: the woman he knew he would marry the moment he first saw her when they met at a party in Fort St. John.
Peter finally worked up the courage to propose with the help of some homemade rhubarb wine - a fact he always cited with a sparkle in his eye and a wry smile across his lips. It is a testament to their love that, even after 55 years of marriage, one could always find clumps of rhubarb in his patch of the garden.
He was a loving father to his two girls, Shirley and Diana. He achieved a 50 percent success rate in raising them to be devoted CFL fans and a 100 percent success rate in getting them to be appreciative of statistics.
In his youth, Peter enjoyed surveying in the wilds of British Columbia. It was his Uncle Norman who inspired him to pursue a career in Environmental Health. Although he quickly rose to become a Chief EHO, his heart was always in the field. After 35 years of service, if he wasn't on the golf course or the pickleball court, he couldn't resist walking by vacant land and waxing poetic about soil types and percolation rates.
His career took him and Marion to many parts of the province, including Squamish, Prince Rupert, and Powell River. They spent what free time they had boating and exploring the breathtaking coastline of B.C. In 1977 they settled in the Bates Beach area of Courtenay - back when the Comox Valley had a single traffic light and an Eaton's department store.
A perpetual "soul-searcher", Peter had a lifelong affinity for spiritual matters and energy healing. Late in life he embraced this calling, connecting with other soul-searchers and helping those in need. The gift of these experiences enabled him to approach his final few difficult months with extraordinary humour and grace.
hank you to Dr. Samantha McRae and all the doctors, nurses, care aides and staff at North Island Hospital Comox Valley for their care and kindness. We are also grateful to our family and friends for their love and support. In lieu of flowers, please scrunch up a handful of dirt and feel for the sand content between your fingertips, teach your daughters how to change a flat tire in the pouring rain, perform a random act of kindness, or donate to a charity of your choice . . . and toast to life, love, and courage with a glass of rhubarb wine.


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