On Sunday, November 13, 2016, at the age of 87, the world lost a truly great leader, Eugene Peter McLoughlin (known by many as Peter or Pete).Peter lived life to the fullest, making everything a challenge or an adventure. He was born on April 9,1929 to loving parents Eugene Joseph McLoughlin (1894-1980) and Ferdinande Dormer (1902 – 1938). Peter lost his mother to tuberculosis at the young age of 9 and was sent to Ireland with his two sisters, June Mary (1931)and Sylvia (1936-2011), to live with his grandmother, Joanna Roche (1859-1949), while his father was called to serve with the RAF in World War 2. He spent many wonderful years at Glenstal Abbey, where he made lifelong friendships. Foremost was Billy Lacy, who brought him home for a visit. On that visit, he met the loveof his life, Helena (‘Helen’) Lacy. On their first date, he brought Helen to a movie where he desperately tried to impress her with his (limited) knowledge of the subject of the movie, Spanish dancing. The rest is history.
Peter was well-acquainted with the headmaster of Glenstal, having been summoned to ‘explain’ his many adventures with experimental cherry and pipe bombs. His ‘creations’ were on display in a glass cabinet at the abbey until the staff determined how to dispose of them safely. From Glenstal, he went to Downside Abbey for further schooling in England, again making lifelong friendships.
Peter returned back to British Columbia from England, where he attended Royal Roads Military College in 1948, which was its first year as a tri-service Canadian Services College. Upon his return from England, he often dressed formally, prompting the younger cadets at the College to salute him, thinking he must be an officer. Explaining his nick name of “the Duke”. After two years at Royal Roads, he transferred to the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, where he graduated in 1952 as part of the first class to graduate following the closure of RMC as a college in 1942 when the facility was dedicated to wartime training.
Peter then entered the RCAF and became a highly skilled test pilot. He even survived a crash where he was testing a plane that pilots were losing their lives attempting to fly. He ended up in a field, where a local farmer presented him with a shot of whisky. He later was able to tell the RCAF what was wrong with the plane and how to correct it by installing stall strips. The grateful Air Force presented him with the mounted engraved tail of the million-dollar jet that he crashed! He was later presented with the Caterpillar Pin for having survived by parachute after bailing out of a disabled aircraft.
Peter never forgot Helen, and in 1953 returned to Ireland to marry his sweetheart and bring her back to Canada. They lived in Gimli, Manitoba, where they had their first of four children, Ursula (1954).
Peter left the military to join a pharmaceutical company called ‘Horner,’ based in Toronto, and quickly gained a reputation for marketing innovation. He was perhaps the first in the pharmaceutical Industry to take thousands of medical professionals (doctors and pharmacists) to exotic places for educational seminars. His three other children were born in Toronto: Eugene Guy (1959), Adele (1962) and Peta (1966).
He then moved to Horner’s head office in Montreal, moving the family to the Montreal’s West Island.
In 1979, Peter then started his own pharmaceutical company, Dormer Laboratories, which specialized in dermatologicals and which he named after his mother, ‘Ferdy’ Dormer.Dormer Laboratories, originally established in Rigaud, Quebec, still operates today, now headquartered in Toronto.
Peter was all about life, history and living life to the fullest; he touched so many hearts in so many ways. Always one to be involved in issues important to him, he was very involved with the RMC Club and the Saab Club, and had initiated the homeowners’ association for Mountain Ranches, which is kindly donating funds to local palliative care in Peter’s name. He loved sailing, sports cars, genealogy, history and nature.
He was so proud of his 4 children (Ursula, Guy, Adele and Peta) and his 8 grandchildren: Anna (1985), Rosie (1988), and Katie (1993) Thompson (children of Ursula & Mark); David (1992) (who married Mallory Barrie in 2016), Melissa (1995), and Matthew (1997) Pley, (children of Adele & Michael); and Sophia (2005) and Ava (2009)Simone (children of Peta & Romeo).
He is the loving uncle to Lise Bendrodt & Breta Keyshaw and grand-uncle to Isabella & Harrison; all from Vancouver, BC.
Godfather and uncle to Helen Jameson of Rosslare, Ireland; uncle to William, Peter, Alex, and Lisa Lacy; uncle to Douglas, Michael, Julie and Helen Heather; uncle to Sandra, Mandy and David Delamer; and, uncle to Connor and Shane Fogerty, all from Howth, Ireland.
Brother in law to Billy & Trudy Lacy, Ida & Peter Delamer, Ursula & Michael Heather, and Alice Fogerty.
The funeral will take place at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Hudson, Quebec at 11 a.m. on Saturday November 26, 2016. There will be visitation on November 25 from 7-9 p.m. and again prior to the funeral from 9:30 to 11 a.m.Afterward, all are invited to follow Peter to his resting spot, followd by a wake with light refreshments.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the RMC Foundation at http://www.rmcfoundation.ca/index.php/ways-to-give/ or contacting Jennifer Jordan directly at [email protected] or 613-541-6000 X6807. Donations will also be welcomed at the Hudson Palliative Care Centre https://www.canadahelps.org/dn/15276. Overseas relatives may wish to give to Glenstal Abbey’s numerous projects, please contact John O’Callaghan at [email protected].
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