Peter William Kleinstiver
September 16, 1954 - November 23, 2022
Son, husband, father, grandpa, Pharmacologist, entrepreneur, adventurer, craftsman and Transplant Warrior took his last deep breath at home on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. Peter was born on September 16, 1954 in Exeter, ON, and with the exception of 7 years in Calgary, AB, lived in southwestern Ontario for most of his 68 years. Survived by wife Sandra (née Sprague); sons: Jesse (Larissa) of St. Albert, AB, Ben (Laura) of Boston, MA, and Josh (Rose) of London, ON; and beloved grandchildren: Cameron, Katelyn Pearl, Quinn and Elizabeth. Predeceased by his parents Lorne (2009) and Helen (2014) Kleinstiver. Also loved by family: Janet and Bruce Leeson, Louise Sprague and Brad Lorne, Owen and Barbara Scott, David Williams (the late Sandra), Nancy and Wreyn Blimke, Alan Kleinstiver and Shirley (Kleinstiver) and the Tieman family.
Peter was born in Exeter, Ontario and raised in rural Dashwood, Ontario. His first teacher was Helen Kleinstiver, his mom. Lorne and Helen shaped Peter into the person that he became and supported Peter in all of his academic, athletic, personal and employment pursuits. Peter enjoyed his time in high school and successfully participated in football, wrestling, track and field. His passions outside of school athletics were hockey (Exeter Hawks) and baseball (Dashwood). After an extended time in High School (and never actually graduating from grade 13!), Peter attended the University of Guelph to complete his BSc in Human Biology (1976), MSc in Pharmacology and Toxicology (1978), and PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology (1987).
Peter was fortunate to have enjoyed travel for work and pleasure, with a special accomplishment of visiting almost every Province in Canada and State in the USA on his treasured Harley Davidson. Peter also visited 23 of the 30 baseball parks in North America on his motorcycle. Carefully planned adventures were Peter’s passion.
Thank you to all of those that touched Peter’s very full personal and professional life.
We are extremely grateful for Dr. Donald Farquhar (London, ON) and Dr. Jonathan Yeung (TGH Transplant Surgeon) and their entire teams for giving Peter a 2nd chance to take big, deep breaths. A special thank you to Dr. Jim MacLean for his care and compassion when Peter took his last breath.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club, 465 Sunningdale Road West, London, Ontario on Saturday, November 26, 2022 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations to UHN Foundation to support the Toronto Lung Transplant Program at Toronto General Hospital would be appreciated by the family. Please visit uhnfoundation.ca/tribute or call 416-603-5300. Additionally, please consider the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation at: https://cpff.ca/onate/ .
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My sincere condolences on this tremendous loss - thinking of you and your family at this challenging time. I hope that you have the opportunity to share happy memories and laughs with each other in addition to the tears and sorrow. No doubt Peter will live on forever in your hearts and minds.
My sincere condolences, Peter was fun to work for during our time with ONDRI at Western. I also will miss our coffee meet ups he and I had in the time after.
A donation has been made to UHN Foundation - Toronto Lung Transplant Program.
Sincere condolences to you Sandra and to your family. I will always be grateful to have had him as a colleague. Our team had fun times together through the early days of ONDRI and I have great memories of his quick wit. Take care.
To Sandy, Ben, Josh, Jesse, and families, my condolences and sympathies. There will never be another Peter - so kind, intelligent, so humble, so non judgemental. These are the qualities I remember in our brief encounters but will never forget. Most of all he was a great dad to his boys and husband to his wife Sandy. He will always be real and alive in your memories. So sorry I cannot attend the Saturday afternoon tribute at Sunningdale. My thoughts will be with you. Kent Clark
We are so very sorry for your loss. Jerry worked with Peter at Dashwood Industries. Pete was also a classmate of mine at SHDHS (class of '72). We watched him from the bleachers at football and hockey games and wrestling matches...a good athlete and a great guy. Wishing you all peace as you lay him to rest. Condolences.
Dear Sandra and family our deepest sympathies on the passing of Peter, keep all those great memories close to your heart, thinking of you at this time, Peter was a life long friend and teammate.
My deepest condolences to the Kleinstiver family during this very difficult time. Peter will be missed by many. I fondly remember our time together on ONDRI and I am forever grateful for Peter's support over the years.
Dear Sandra and family, We were very sad to hear about Peter's passing. Our most heartfelt condolences to you and your family as you grieve the loss of Peter. He was a friend and close colleague when we worked together in Schulich Research. He will be remembered for his kindness, his generosity, sage advice, humor and willingness to help others. He was a mentor and we learned a lot from him. He will be missed. May he rest in peace.
I had the opportunity to work with, and to be mentored by, Peter. My deepest condolences to you all. May Peter's memory be a blessing to you during this time.
My sincere condolences to you Sandra and to your family as you grieve the loss of your husband, dad and grandfather. My thoughts are with you during this sad time.
So sorry Sandra and family for your great loss. Peter was a very close and lovely colleague at Schulich Research. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Sandra: so very sorry to read about Peter's passing. His courage and grit were an inspiration. I hope he and you were able to enjoy many outdoor hours on your new deck. My sincere condolences. Peter.
To Sandra and family Sorry to learn of Peter’s passing, both his parents influenced my life as teacher and mentor. My condolences
I knew Peter during the mid to late 1960s when he and I were both students at South Huron District High School in Exeter, Ontario, and I remember him very well as a nice, generous and smart young man. And a very good hockey player.
Sending all of our love, lots of hugs and the sincerest and dearest condolences during this difficult time. ❤️💜 What an amazing man Peter was! We are so incredibly fortunate and appreciative of the time we got to spend with him when you were all down for Larissa and Jesse’s wedding. From the moment we met for the first time on FaceTime, we could tell he had a heart of gold and a kind and gentle disposition. We will treasure those precious moments we had with Peter forever. He will be dearly missed, but will live on in our hearts. Love, Dereck, Dawn and Grandma Audrey 💕💖
Services for Peter William Kleinstiver
Celebration of Life will be held at:
Sunningdale Golf and Country Club
465 Sunningdale Road West,
London, Ontario
November 26, 2022 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
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Hello everyone, I wish to offer my sympathies to the family and to all who knew and loved Peter. I knew him well many years ago at the University of Guelph. I had been trying to locate Peter over the past couple of years but was unable to do so. Peter and I shared a room in residence at the university in 1974. Peter was a great roommate and we had lots of good times together. I visited Peter in Grand Bend one summer for a couple of days. I just wanted to say that I am so sorry for your loss. I often remember Peter in my prayers. Sean P. Kirley. Lindsay, Ontario
~ Sean P. Kirley