Dr. Peter Blundell
August 21, 1928 – August 4, 2022
Peter passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family in his 93rd year after courageously facing vascular dementia and more recently Covid.
Peter was the quintessential family man. Devoted husband to his wife Marni and loving father to his daughter Cathy and two sons Jamie (Tiffany) and Andrew (Julia). Caring grandfather known as “Poppa Pete” to his five granddaughters: Bianca, Katarina, Chloe, Saskia and Thea. Beloved brother of Bill (Monique) and uncle to his many nieces and nephews. Friend to many in Montreal, Toronto, Knowlton, and Cedar Point, Georgian Bay. Predeceased by his sister Nancy.
Peter was an avid skier, golfer and played tennis into his nineties. He spent summers at Cedar Point, Georgian Bay and weekends (and later retirement) in Knowlton, Quebec. He was a talented and accomplished gardener, with beautiful grounds throughout his Knowlton property. He loved the arts and was an active water colorist - his paintings are cherished by friends and family. He loved to travel and learn about different peoples and cultures around the world. He particularly loved visiting his daughter Cathy and her family in India.
Peter was a much loved and gifted cardiovascular surgeon at the Montreal General Hospital. His medical career began with graduation from the Medical School at the University of Toronto. He completed training in General Surgery and Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery at the Toronto General Hospital. His training as a Cardiac Surgeon was under the guidance of Dr. William Bigelow, one of Canada’s pioneering Cardiac Surgeons. Peter did further thoracic training under Mr. Ronald Belsey in Bristol, England, followed by a research fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. He was then recruited to the Montreal General Hospital and McGill University to advance the exciting new specialty of open Cardiac Surgery. He excelled as a skilful clinical surgeon and impressed generations of McGill Surgical residents with his personalized approach to patient care. Peter was widely considered to be the consummate team player in the McGill Division of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. His legacy will live on in the patients he cared for and in the careers of his colleagues and all the Cardiac Surgical residents whose careers he impacted.
Successful by all measures, Peter is perhaps most notably remembered for his unwavering sense of intention to do the right thing. Be it family, community or profession, Peter was by all accounts an altruistic soul. He was a true gentleman and a man of honor.
The family would like to thank the medical team at the Brome-Missisquoi hospital who cared for him over the last 3 months, and Jean McLeod for her kind and caring service over the last few years.
A private family service will be held at Mount Pleasant cemetery in Toronto. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the MGH Foundation, Room E- 129, 1650 Cedar Ave. Montreal H3G 1A4 The Peter Blundell Fund in Surgical Education.