(July 18, 1939 – August 4, 2023)
His family is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Peter on Friday, August 4 in Newmarket, Ontario.
Peter was an eternal optimist, amateur philosopher and author, and an avid tennis player. While his first and most enduring passion was for tennis, Peter was a loyal fan of Everton FC, the Maple Leafs and all sports played by Toronto and Cleveland teams. He enjoyed classical music and jazz and always followed technological, scientific and political news with great enthusiasm. With Suraiya, his wife of nearly 50 years, he captured their many travels across North America, Europe and Australia with his latest camera.
Peter was raised by his mother, Barbara, and grandparents in England, as the youngest of three children. He grew up surrounded by the Cairn terriers they bred and had a great love of dogs. He trained in England as a Chartered Accountant, but soon followed his sister, Shirley, to Canada in pursuit of new opportunities. Peter quickly found success in the emerging field of IT in Toronto as a programmer and systems analyst at IBM and then began his career as a management consultant at Currie, Coopers & Lybrand.
With his first wife, Maureen, Peter had two children, Kim and Jodie, who later settled and grew their own families in Cleveland, Ohio. With Suraiya, he welcomed a third daughter, Jennifer, in Bermuda and proudly declared his preference for daughters!
The nine years that Peter’s work brought him and Suraiya to Bermuda, left them and his daughters with many fond memories of their time in the villa by the ocean. Peter immersed himself in Bermuda life, from his shorts to his suntan to his scooter. He and Suraiya made lifelong friendships there and enjoyed many later visits with Judy & Keith and Pam & Barry.
Upon the family’s return to Canada in 1986, Peter founded Hollings Associates with his brother, John, and continued the business on his own until the rapid onset of health concerns in April of this year. His consulting work and commitment to his clients were points of pride.
Peter was predeceased by his sister, Shirley, last year. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Suraiya; children, Kim (and husband John), Jodie and Jennifer (and partner Peter); his accomplished grandchildren, Jessica, Johnny and Chris; brother, John, and wife Val; dearest and oldest friend, Roger; extended family and friends in Canada, the U.S., Bermuda, and Bahamas; and many tennis partners, former colleagues and clients.
Your memories of Peter and condolences to his family can be shared online through Roadhouse & Rose Funeral Home.
Peter was remembered during a small gathering of close family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Southlake Regional Health Centre