Mr. Peter James Savage

Peter James Savage passed away after a brief illness, Thursday February 5th, 2015 with his wife and family at his side. He was born in Grand’Mere Quebec on September 5th, 1927. He is survived by his wife Shirley O. (nee MacPherson) and three children, Douglas (Calgary, AB), Geoffrey (Salt Spring Island, B.C.) and his wife Lyn (nee Chipman) and their daughter Jessica, and Nancy (Riondel, B.C.) and her husband Arnold Ames. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. Peter attended school in Grand’Mere and Montreal and graduated from McGill University in 1948 with a degree in Math, Physics and Geology. He joined Heiland Exploration, contracted to Shell in New Brunswick where he met the love of his life Shirley. In 1949 he joined Shell as a geophysicist and moved to Calgary with his bride. His 44 year career saw him work with multi-nationals (Shell Oil, PanCanadian Petroleum), small oilfield companies (Discovery Geophysical, Nance Exploration) and a start-up (Canadian Magnetic Reduction later Teledyne Exploration). When his children were young he served many years as Sunday School Superintendent and as the People’s Warden and Rector’s Warden at St. Martin’s Anglican Church. Throughout his career and after his retirement in 1992 he served as an active committee member and in leadership positions for numerous industry and professional organizations, including the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Canadian Geophysical Union, Petroleum History Society and Geological Association of Canada. In June 2013 he was elected Fellow of Geoscientists Canada. In 1996 he was awarded The Order of The University of Calgary, recognizing his broad contributions to the University: multi-year involvement with the Nickle Arts Museum, where he co-curated three exhibitions with works of art from Calgary collections, two terms on the U of C senate, and service on the Advisory Council of the Faculty of Fine Arts. An Honorary Member of the Alberta Society of Artists, Peter served as Juror for the Medicine Hat Print Show, the mural selection committee for the Medicine Hat Credit Union and Arts 17 in Calgary. Peter and Shirley shared a passion for collecting Canadian woodcuts and engravings, and both became Life Members of The Glenbow Museum (the recipient of a tremendous donation of block prints and wood engravings from their years of collecting, and where he gave several public lectures on art) and Life Members at The National Gallery of Canada, as well as forming lifelong friendships with many Canadian artists that they met through this passion. Peter played the slide trombone for 70 years performing with a number of groups both large and small, leaving his children with a lifelong appreciation of music in all its genres. A book lover as well, he was a long-time member of the Alcuin and Private Libraries Associations. And in his spare time … he transformed his back yard into a tranquil rock and alpine garden with running streams and two ponds, even boasting trout (as a licensed fish farmer) one season. Peters love of alpine gardening lead to him serving as President of the Reader Rock Garden Society and as a Board Member of the Calgary Rock and Alpine Garden Society. Pete will be sadly missed but ever so fondly remembered by all who knew him.

A Funeral Service will be held at FOSTER’S GARDEN CHAPEL, 3220 – 4 Street N.W., Calgary (across from Queen’s Park Cemetery) on Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made directly to The Prostate Cancer Centre 6500, 7007 – 14 Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2V 1P9 or www.prostatecancercentre.ca/support-us/. Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family via the website www.fostersgardenchapel.ca.

FOSTER'S GARDEN CHAPEL

FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM

Telephone: 403-297-0888

Honoured Provider of Dignity Memorial

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