Peter Willy Geigen-Miller
Died: May 13, 2012 | Place: University Hospital
Services
Visitation
Not available at this time
Service
Not available at this time
Interment
Not available at this time
Obituary
GEIGEN-MILLER, Peter…Peacefully at University Hospital, London on Sunday, May 13, 2012, Peter Geigen-Miller at the age of 71. Beloved husband of Shirley. Loving father of Stephen (Sarah) of Toronto, Patricia (Leah) of Hamilton, Christopher of Toronto and Matthew (Michelle) of Ottawa. Cherished grandfather of Maren, Lily and Darwin. Loving son of Win Miller of Chatham and the late Bill Miller. Dear brother of Paul (Janeen) of Toronto. Peter was a respected journalist for 44 years employed at the London Free Press, The Globe and Mail and The Windsor Star. In retirement, he enjoyed volunteering at Central Library bookstore. He was fiercely loyal to everyone and everything he cared about. Friends will be received by the family from 7-9 pm on Wednesday, May 16,2012 at the A. Millard George Funeral Home, 60 Ridout Street South, London. Funeral service will be held at St. Anne’s Anglican Church, 1344 Commissioner’s Road West, London N6K 1E1 on Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 11am. Interment in St. Anne’s Anglican Church Cemetery, London. As an expression of sympathy, donations to Friends of the London Public Library, 251 Dundas Street, London, ON N6A 6H9, would be appreciated. Online condolences accepted at www.amgfh.com
21 Comments
Write a Condolence
Make a Donation in honour of Peter Willy Geigen-Miller
Please mail your donations directly to the charity
Burke Flowers
When you order funeral flowers from Burke Flowers, our skilled and compassionate florist will work directly with the funeral home to ensure that your delivery is timely and accurate. Same-day delivery is often available, please call (519) 672-8190 || (800) 303-7413 for a more customized experience.
Hi Shirley,
So sorry to hear about Peter. I didn’t realize he’d been ill and one day early last week I poked my head into the library hallway to see if he was there and then I’d say hi and chat a bit. Then I realized he hadn’t been there the last few times I’d done that and I hoped he was well. Of course, he wasn’t. He was a lovely man and really helped me out when they took me from sports and thrust me into cluster system. We were a good team! I’m thinking of you and wishing you and your family well.
Steve
Peter was the quintessential gentleman and a great mentor for many in The Free Press newsroom. He always did a great job, quietly, with his characteristic calm and fantastic dry wit. We were so sorry to hear he was ill and has left us far too soon. But his imprint on many reporters, and others whose lives he touched, will live on and on. My sympathies, Shirley and family.
I’m so sorry, Shirley. Peter was a gentle, committed man and my best friend at university and for the short time we all worked together in Windsor. He deserved a long, happy, grandfatherly retirement. I will always remember him for his firm sense of the right thing to do. Like the time he organized a student protest march on Labatt’s, to protest a rumoured sale to Shlitz. “Keep 50 north of the 49th” was one of his slogans. We marched, and Labatt’s greeted us by opening up the executive bar. Peter said we have to get out of here. We (Peter, me and Jerry Bahr) ended up at the Ceeps drinking Peter’s alternative, Black Horse Ale (not a Labatt product). We’ll all miss his gentle leadership and optimistic spirit. Best to you and the kids.
Dear Patricia,
My deepest condolences to you and your family. My prayers are with you. It is hard to lose a loved one. Now you have an angel to watch over Maren. My thoughts are with you, Leah and Maren.
Love Heather
Dear Shirley, Peter was a good man and a solid, sensible,colleague in an often frenetic newsroom.I knew when I went on an assignment with Peter it would be a calming experience, the story would be eloquently crafted and there would be much laughter, invoked by his delightfully wry sense of humour. Our deepest sympathy,Shirley to you and the family.Susan Bradnam,Jon Vanderzwan and family
Dear Shirley: It saddens me that your love story ended too soon. My heart goes out to you. Peter was a great colleague. He had a smile that wouldn’t quit, a low-key wit that made me split and an absolute willingness to help those around him. His calm demeanour was well known, but underneath it was a steely resolve. He was old school in an good way — an astute observer, a methodical researcher and positively stubborn about accuracy and fairness. Getting it right was more important to Peter than grabbing headlines, maybe because he had such a strong sense of the craft as history in the making. He was a compassionate guy with a bent for social equity and a love for the environment. He was green before it was fashionable. Above all, he was a mensch, a man of honour, integrity and good character. It was a privilege to be his colleague for many years.
Dear Shirley: I was shocked and saddened to learn about Peter. You have my deepest sympathy. Whenever I was on an assignment with Peter, I was always amazed with the breadth and depth of his knowledge on whatever we were covering. He was, as you know, a great reporter and a truly fine gentleman. He approached journalism with a sense of both art and craft. I, and I think I can say everyone who ever worked with Peter, liked and admired him. My condolences, Ken Wightman
Shirley, so sorry to hear of Peter’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time. God bless. scott
Peter was such a gentleman and a gentle man. I remember the care he took in writing about the environment before anyone else particularly cared at all. Working with him was always a delight. He was quiet and funny and wry. Journalism lost one of the good ones when Peter left the field.
My deepest sympathy to you, Shirley and your whole family.
Julie Carl
Dear Matthew:
Please accept my sincere condolences for the loss of your Dad. They are so precious….I am sure that he was extremely proud of you, so you can find peace in that.
Lise Boisvert,
Crown Attorney’s Office,
Ottawa
Dear Shirley:
So sorry to learn of Peter’s death. Have many wonderful memories of the good times we shared when you and Peter were at the Windsor Star. Of course, I also knew his Mother who wrote for The Star for many years. Please pass along my condolances to Win and your entire family.
Jim Bruce
Hi Shirley,
What I recall about Peter is his calm demenour each and every day in the newsroom. He was a gentleman. I also remember his quiet remarks if he didn’t agree with something or someone. He was his own man, a respected journalist and by the sounds of it, a wonderful family man. He’ll be missed!
My deepest condolences to Matt and the entire family. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.
Dear Shirley, Win and family:
I am so sorry to learn about Peter’s passing. I am unhappily down with a brutal cold and unable to attend the visitation tonight. I would like to tell you that I often chatted with Peter at the library and always came away with a smile. He was a kind, thoughtful and slyly funny guy. I regarded him as a pro reporter (not a “journalist” cause we called them unemployed reporters putting on airs.} What he wrote I believed. He obviously learned that attribute from Win, another one of my favourites. I am so sorry and I wish I could have come tonight and spoken to you directly. Maybe another time. I will miss my friend.
donmurray, ex reporter…
Our deepest sympathy to you and your family in this passage of life. Our prayers and thoughts are we you.
Neighbors Jim and Shelley
Dear Win and Family – While we are unable to be with you, Elaine and I send our deepest sympathies on your loss of Peter. Through the years, it was my great privilege to know Peter as an aspiring journalist, son of my generous mentor, Win, and an accomplished writer whose enthusiasm in pursuit of a good story was exceeded only by his integrity. No wonder: He reflected the style and substance of his Mom and grandfather, revered Chatham journalist Victor Lauriston. I had the good fortune of working with all three and share your sense of loss. – George Hutchison
Dear Win and Family – While we are unable to be with you, Elaine and I send our deepest sympathies on your loss of Peter. Through the years, it was my great privilege to know Peter as an aspiring journalist, son of my generous mentor, Win, and an accomplished writer whose enthusiasm in pursuit of a good story was exceeded only by his integrity. No wonder: He reflected the style and substance of his Mom and grandfather, revered Chatham journalist Victor Lauriston. I had the good fortune of working with all three and share your sense of loss. – George Hutchison
Dear Shirley,
I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of Peter’s passing. I will hold you and your family in my heart this week.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to be at Peter’s funeral tomorrow, but my thoughts and prayers will be with you.
Dick Lyke
Dear Shirley
I have not seen you or Peter for many years but I remember you both with deep gratitude. Loyalty was the hallmark of Peter’s life. And quiet persistence. Not to mention his ability to write so well. I remember a New Year’s eve party at our place with all the kids playing in the snow, greeting the new year with laughter and joy. Good times fondly remembered.
“Death is not the extinguishing of the light. It is the putting out of the lamp because the dawn has come.”
With love, Laurie
Dear Patricia & Family,
I was deeply saddened to hear of your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family. In a difficult time may your memories be a comfort of the love you shared.
Dear Miller family,
So sorry to hear of Peter,s passing.As former neighbours to Win for many years we got to hear about Peter and his wonderful family as well as his ongoing achievemets.Lovely person.Our thoughts and hearts are with you all at this time.Dianne,Rod and family.