After a short battle with an aggressive disease, we said good-bye to our beloved Pete.
Peter Jerry Chladek, born October 4, 1964, in Czechoslovakia, took his last breath at Midland Hospital, in the early morning hours of December 18, 2022.
He is survived by his wife and constant companion of thirty plus years, Mary Brennan. They were two halves of a whole, committed to each other in love and a shared life vision. Their vision was one of living in peace and harmony, amidst the tranquil nature that is all around us. Their move to Northern Ontario five years ago, where he and Mary intended to live for many years to come, took them closer to that shared vision. There, they found that connection to nature, contentment, and a whole new community of friends. Peter had come into his element; having found the niche he had longed for, for many years. He was very happy there.
The son of Vera Brasser and Peter O. Chladek (both deceased), a young Peter arrived in Canada, as a wide-eyed four year old. He grew up in London with his loving big sister, Vera, who he remained close to, until the end. He was the intellectual, jokester uncle to Joshua and to his daughters Keira and Rain. In his early teens, Pete was also lucky enough to become part of a second family, including his stepmom Marie Chladek, stepbrothers Peter Stastny and Ivan Stastny (deceased).
Ever the artist, Peter’s tremendous talent was not limited to one medium. His earliest artistic endeavours produced dramatic, esoteric paintings, some of which remain on proud display in the homes of family.
For many years, he was the unofficial family photographer and will be remembered as perpetually having a camera in hand, as well as for producing professional-quality photographs and videos. His musical love was the synthesizer, and he spent many hours composing soundtracks with Mary, Ivan and his nephew Ben, covering a broad spectrum of genres. His creations of the past few years were musical arrangements for meditation sessions.
In recent years, his focus turned to electronic media. He created amazing videos that brought to life the beautiful raw nature of Northern Ontario. Whatever the project or artistic endeavour, his precision and attention to detail translated to top notch, high quality results.
If you knew Peter, you never forgot him. He will be missed, even by those who had lost touch with him for a while. Those who knew and loved him, are left with a breath-catching ache in their heavy hearts, made heavier by the amazing memories and unrealized potential of a man who still had so much left to offer his family and community.
Peter was brought from Midland, Ontario, to the Harris Funeral home in London, where he was cremated on December 20,2022. The family will have a celebration of life for Peter in the spring of 2023, with details to follow.
If you would like to make a donation in Peter’s name, please consider: Myositis Canada #103, 7724 Bowness Road NW, Calgary, AB T3B 0H1