Peter John Austin-Smith
1932-2019
On December 27, after
a beautiful Christmas, and at the centre of a circle of love, Flight
Officer Peter John Austin-Smith Sr. died at home in Wolfville, Nova
Scotia. Peter was born on May 11, 1932 in Galt, Ontario, to Cecily
Harvey Williams and John Smith (both deceased), and grew up in
Kitchener. An early school teacher, unimpressed by his progress,
suggested that he would do better out in the woods. He listened, and
became a junior forest ranger while still in high school, learning
about wildlife and things that fly.
Peter joined the RCAF
in 1951 and took pilot training in Gimli, Manitoba. As a member most
notably of 408 Squadron, he flew Harvards, Mitchells, Dakotas, C-119s,
B25s, Expeditors, and his favourite, the Canso. He claimed he had
flown into every small town in Canada. One of the Cansos he flew is
active in Fairview, Alberta, and another is on display in the War
Museum in Ottawa. On a visit there, he got too close to the aircraft
and was reprimanded by a guard. “See that dent?” he
responded, “I put that dent there.” Infamously, he
also dented a hangar door in Gimli when he bent down in the cockpit to
shut off oil and didn’t realize the wheels were still in
motion on the icy tarmac. For his seven years as a military pilot,
Peter flew search and rescue off the Queen Charlotte islands, was
Detachment Commander for Arctic patrol, and flew Arctic resupply. He
told amazing stories of flying up north, learning to land on water,
and especially, of flying at night, in silence, with the moon and
stars for company. He swore he could hear music in the engines on
those flights.
After leaving the
military in 1957, Peter earned a BSc from Cornell University, and
began a PhD. He later taught Biology at Acadia University, supervising
several Honours and MA students. He then set academia aside to work as
a Manager of Non-Game Biology in the Department of Lands and Forestry.
During these years as a wildlife biologist, he worked our small farm,
supplying hay to Sackville Downs and wild blueberries to local
farmers’ markets. He also opened and ran a record store in
Wolfville. In the 1980s, he was part of a project to re-establish bald
eagles in Massachusetts and another to re-establish peregrine falcons
in the upper Bay of Fundy. Dad retired in 1991, but continued
fieldwork, research, graduate supervision, and writing, especially on
shorebirds and raptors. In 2003 he chaired the Canadian Committee on
Animal Care sub-committee on wild animals. He wrote and published
serious reports and papers, but never took himself too seriously. He
once presented a conference paper on the migration patterns of
Phoenicopterus ruber ornamentalis (aka plastic pink flamingoes) to a
puzzled audience.
Devastated by his loss
are Tish, his wife of sixty-two years, his children Brenda, Peter, and
Lesley, daughter-in-law Gabrielle Breault, son-in-law Richard Kruk,
beloved grandson Ian Kruk, sister Sandra Taylor, and many nieces and
nephews. His sister Joyce Grant pre-deceased him. His sweet dog Gracie
will miss sitting at his feet. Peter accepted people without judgment,
and with extraordinary generosity. He loved us fiercely and without
condition, with a heart as big as the sky. We again thank those who
helped us through this heartbreak with such wisdom and kindness: Dr.
Alison Wellwood, Dr, Ann Gordon, the VON, the EHS paramedics trained
in the Special Patient program, Lynn Fudge, Fiona Peacock, and Heather
Wade-Hewins.
The end of some
restrictions means we can now safely hold a Celebration of
Peter’s life on Friday, September 30, 2022, at the Acadia
Faculty Club, 6 Park Street, from 2-4 p.m. The Club is located on a
short street that runs between University Avenue and Westwood, just up
from the Harriet Irving Gardens. We hope those of you who can join us
that day will share stories, songs, bring and play some instruments,
and raise a glass to Dad’s memory.
Interment will be held
in Starr’s Point Cemetery on Saturday, October 1, 2022 at 2
p.m.
For those who wish to
do so, donations can be made to the Peter Austin-Smith Sr. Memorial
Fund at Acadia University online or by mail at 15 University Avenue,
Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6. Funds will support a fieldwork student in
Biology or related field of study.
Funeral arrangements
have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation
Services, Kentville.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew –
Wheels up, Dad. Safe flight.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Peter John Austin-Smith 19322019..
Death notice for the town of: Kentville, Province: Nova Scotia