We are heartbroken to announce that Peter passed away peacefully at home in Toronto on June 30, 2023 surrounded by his family. He leaves behind his best friend and loving wife of almost 57 years, Katherine (née Hallam) and his adored children, Scott (Tammy Flynn) and Karin (Jon Purdy), of whom he was so proud. He was a generous, caring, and loving grandfather to his cherished grandchildren, Luke and Devon Seybold, and Drew and Cameron Purdy.

Peter was born in Montreal on April 21, 1941, the son of Hope (Laurie) and Hugh Seybold. He was predeceased by his older brother, Laurie, in 1998. He attended Roslyn School, Westmount High School, École Nouvelle in Switzerland and McGill University. While at McGill he participated in the student council, played hockey (until told by the Dean of engineering to concentrate on his school work), and forged many friendships in the Psi Upsilon fraternity that would last his lifetime.

After graduating from Mechanical Engineering in 1964, Peter worked for several years before pursuing his MBA at the Ivey School of Business at Western University, graduating with the very close-knit class of 1968, which has continued to meet regularly ever since. Peter then worked for Emco Wheaton, taking his young family to live in a lovely small town in Ohio for five years followed by four memorable and exciting years in Rio de Janeiro, before coming to Toronto in 1978. In 1987, he founded Seybold International. His son Scott joined him in 1999 and they grew it into a highly-respected industry leader with operations in several countries around the world. Peter’s mentorship of younger employees has always been an integral part of the company’s success.

The cottage, Keonewon (a blend of his grandkids’ first names) on Lake Rosseau was the place where Peter was happiest, and he and Kathy loved sharing it with their children, grandchildren and many friends. Peter was passionate about the outdoors and enjoyed nothing more than to drive the ATV deep into the woods, wielding his chainsaw or moving around large rocks or logs. One of his greatest joys each spring was making maple syrup, especially when the grandchildren were around to help Papa.

Peter travelled all over the world with Kathy, family and friends, instilling his love for adventure and exploration in his family. An avid athlete, Peter loved to ski (downhill, cross-country, back-country, waterski), play squash and sail at the RCYC, golf, bike, canoe and hike. He had many close friends near and far with whom he shared many of these and other adventures.

As he neared retirement he began to find new interests, including a focus on the environment particularly in Muskoka, joining the boards of the Muskoka Lakes Association, The Friends of the Muskoka Watershed and the Windermere Golf Club. He also became a talented and enthusiastic artist, filling many walls of the house and cottage with his paintings.

Peter truly lived life to the fullest, and family and friends meant the world to him. We were so fortunate to have had his unwavering love, support and guidance throughout our lives. Peter leaves a remarkable legacy for his family; of friendships across the decades, a passion for adventure and the outdoors, an inquisitive spirit, a strong moral compass and a genuinely positive and optimistic attitude throughout his life.

The family would especially like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Pricilla Sudeesh of Spectrum Health Care for her care and compassion over the past year and a half, the Temmy Latner Palliative Care Team for their caring assistance, as well as our appreciation to the excellent doctors and nurses at St. Michael’s Hospital.

There will be a visitation on Wednesday, July 19th, 2023 at the Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre, 375 Mount Pleasant Road in Toronto, from 4 to 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Muskoka Conservancy by visiting muskokaconservancy.org/donate and selecting ‘Memorial Donation’.