It is with sadness that the BMSC informs our community of the death of Leona Peter on January 24, 2022. Leona was a long-time friend, philanthropist and champion of the BMSC. As an alumna of the University of Calgary, Leona met her husband Dick Peter in 1965 at U of C summer school. They married later that year before moving to Seattle where she completed a BA and Dick his PhD in Zoology in 1969. After moving to Edmonton, Alberta, where Dr. Peter continued his research as a pioneer in fish endocrinology, Leona’s passion for education continued. She worked in peer support, peer education, curriculum development, and trained teachers, nurses, physicians, and counselors – including working five years in crisis intervention and suicide prevention before being hired into the Alberta Alcohol & Drug Abuse AADAC Community Education Services. Leona and Peter moved to Bamfield in 2006 when Dick became BMSC Director. After Dick died very suddenly on 8 March, 2007, Leona’s strength carried the family forward and they settled in Courtenay. Leona started a bursary for BMSC students, as they both believed firmly in the importance of students having the support needed to work and learn in a marine environment. Through this bursary, the BMSC has always been part of their “science family” and their generosity has supported the career trajectories of dozens of students who have had a life-changing research experience in Bamfield. Leona was admired for her love for life and we will miss her.
You can read more about Leona here:
https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/obituaries/leona-louise-booth-peter/
https://edmontonjournal.remembering.ca/obituary/leona-peter-1084306018
Enjoying Leona’s Pond, July 2019