Peter’s family moved to Georgia to escape famine in the mid-30s, returning in 1941 to Ukraine, where Peter’s father was taken by Communists, never to be seen again. When the war started, the family fled to Germany; their six-month trek ended in Hungary. Peter was conscripted into the German army. He was a prisoner of war for four years, most of which was spent in France. In 1948, he landed in a Mennonite refugee camp in Gronau, Germany, where he met fellow refugee Margaret. They married and embarked on a new life in Uruguay, surviving through simplicity and hard work. In 1956, Peter heard that his mother and siblings had been sent back to USSR during the war and were still alive; he reunited with them in 1976. In 1957, Peter and Margaret immigrated to Canada, settling in Greendale, B.C., near her family. Peter’s resolute faith in God only grew stronger. He was a man of integrity and compassion with strong work ethic, who went the extra mile for his family, friends and neighbours.
