In Memoriam

Robert George Peters, 1942 - 2022

PETERS, Robert George July 31, 1942- Ottawa, Ontario June 15, 2022. Rob Peters, 79, passed away at home on June 15, surrounded by family. Rob will be lovingly remembered by his wife Ruth (ne; Klassen), and his children Elizabeth Peters (Mike Kennedy) Shannon Peters (Nigel Costeloe), Jessica Schneider (Jack Schneider), Brennan Peters and Rory Peters, and his grandchildren, Townsend Katz (Andy Katz), Brittany Lloyd (Mark Scheifele), James Bergmann, Jonathan Bergmann, Matthew Schneider, William Schneider, and by his great grandchild Brooks Katz. Rob will also be lovingly remembered by his siblings, James Townsend, Pamela Lang, Stephanie Buchard, Hugh Townsend, Robert Townsend and their families, and his many Ontario cousins. Robert was born to Betty Brennan (ne: Carruthers) and Robert Brennan in Ottawa Ontario, who died soon after Rob was born. Betty remarried George Peters, and they moved from Ontario to Alberta. The day they arrived by train to Calgary, the first thing Rob saw was gentlemen in cowboy boots and a big hat and he right then he knew he wanted to be a cowboy. After the passing of George Peters, Betty remarried Dr. Gordon Townsend. Rob affectionately called Gordon “Pop”, and he considered him a father, a mentor, and a dear friend.

 From an early age, Rob was entrepreneurial and engaging and liked to be where the action was, and if there was no action, he made action happen. He loved to recount the story of his first job, and how he entered business early, delivering prescriptions for a Mount Royal pharmacy on his bike, for 40 cents per hour. In his teens, cars became the focus, and he spent his time buying, fixing, and selling them and then repeating the cycle. That lead to a job selling cars at Cooke Motors. The earnings put him through university and got him involved in the Calgary Sport Car Club which launched an amateur racing career that spanned decades and he competed on tracks from Souris, Manitoba to Le Mans, France, and Dayton, Florida.

 Rob attended several universities and graduated from The University of Alberta in 1964 with a degree in economics. He began his career in finance in Montreal, training at Nesbitt Thompson to be a broker. In 1965 he moved back to Calgary with is wife Nancy and two young children. It was Nancy who introduced Rob to horses and over the many years this evolved to a love of horse sports and a passion for ranching, racehorses, polo, and many other disciplines, particularly those that could be done at a full gallop. Rob left Nesbitt Thomson in 1971 and partnered with Ray Hugo, founding a brokerage firm, with the vision to develop a specialized capital markets investment dealer focused on the Canadian oil and gas sector. Through the years, Rob was always able to identify bright and driven people, convince them to share his goals, and have them join him shoulder to shoulder. Rob’s early business vision and willingness to take risk was a catalyst that helped provide North American and European capital markets access to the Canadian junior and intermediate oil and gas sector. He played an important role in the western oil and gas business that enabled it to grow to become one of the most important industries in Canada. Today, those in the company of Peters & Co., attribute the firm’s continued success to the principles instilled in its culture by Rob and his unlimited energy, positive outlook, and unwillingness to accept the words,  “that’s not possible”.

These principals extended to all thing Rob touched from business to politics and for community. Rob gave tirelessly of his time and enthusiasm  to multiple community organizations including STARS Air Ambulance, The Calgary Stampede, the Glenbow Museum, The Calgary Stampeders Football Club, and The University of Calgary, The Foothills Hospital, the Foothills Hospital Foundation, Alberta College of Art, Heritage Park, The Calgary Polo Club, and founded the Black Diamond Polo Club. Rob also held board positions with numerous public and private Canadian exploration companies.  For two years he served on the IDA’s Board of Directors and in 1979 and again in 1980 he was Chairman of the Alberta Stock Exchange. In 1994 he won the “Entrepreneur of the Year Award” for Support of Entrepreneurship and has also been a recipient of the PSAC (Petroleum Services Association of Canada) Award and was inducted to the Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame in 2014. After his retirement from Peters & Co. in 2001, Rob founded and was a partner in the Elbow Valley Development Project and Elbow Valley West in Calgary.

Of his favorite adventures, he cherished those with his family. The years spent living part time in Australia created the opportunity to travel the globe with Ruth, Brennan and Rory.  Times spent at Salt Spring Island, Black Diamond Ranch and at Rocky Mountain Ranch were always fused with adventure and activity. Rob was continually surrounded by people; his family and his friends and even the odd stranger from time to time, as his energy and endless enthusiasm made him a magnet for fun.

Rob lived every moment to fullest and he included everyone along with him for the ride. He had an insatiable thirst for adventure; in the big things and the little moments.  He will be remembered for embracing his passions and racing cars, summiting the Matterhorn, sailing boats, skiing, hiking, biking, riding horses, bird shooting with his pals, and he will also be remembered for being happiest when he got at least two, if not more, of these activities in on the same day. Rob also rejoiced in the everyday moments and was known to put a hard pause on many a gathering to have his guests stop to admire the sunset with him.

Rob Peters touched all with his genuine love of life, optimism, kind spirit and grace. He was a man who always liked to think positive thoughts about everything.

 A memorial celebration will be held at First Alliance Church, 12345 - 40 Street S.E., Calgary on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.