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Obituary of Peter Stanojevic
Peter (Nicky) Stanojevic was born on April 8, 1945, in a bomb shelter as a displaced person in Hannover, Germany – the start to a life characterized by resilience, curiosity, and appreciation for others. Raised by his beloved grandparents (Milo and Tonie) in Hannover until he was 13, he emigrated to Canada in 1958. He was reunited with his mother, Milica and adopted father, Stojadin, in Hamilton Ontario. He was proud to become a Canadian citizen in 1963 and remained grateful for the security and freedom this brought him for the rest of his life.
Summer jobs at Dofasco motivated Peter to attend McMaster University and the University of Toronto in order to embark on a History and Geography teaching career. He first taught at Hamilton Collegiate Institute and then moved to Chatham, Ontario to take a job at Tecumseh Secondary School. There Peter met fellow teacher Sonia McDermott, who wooed him with cherry pie from her Home Ec class. They married in 1974 and started a family. He later taught at Chatham Kent Secondary school and spent a memorable year as an exchange teacher in Adelaide, Australia. In Chatham he raised three children spending a lot of time with the Chatham Y Pool Sharks, Sears Drama Festival, and camping in Algonquin Park. They took their family travelling and camping internationally and across Canada, adamant that it was important to understand the world. Peter and Sonia celebrated 50 years of marriage in June 2024.
Peter is a past president of the Kent Historical Society and Friends of Chatham Public Library, as well as past Vice President of OSSTF Kent. He is known for uncovering and preserving the stories of students from Chatham who served in WWII and for establishing the Chatham Vocational School World War II Memorial at CKSS. His self-published book, “…and they never came back,” ensured that the sacrifices these students made would not be forgotten. In 1999 Peter received the Caring Canadian Award from the Governor General in recognition of his dedication to community.
After retirement, Peter lived 24 years in Grand Bend where he loved going to the beach with his grandkids and volunteering with the Lake Smith Conservationists. He completed international travel from his wish list and spent good times (and countless home renos) in Toronto with his daughter Shannon, on Vancouver Island with his daughter, Toni and in Banff with his son Sasha. He was also an avid researcher and publisher of family history and genealogy, leaving his family with several books on their ancestry.
Despite claiming to be shy, he had a disarming ability to connect with people. He would stop strangers in the street to chat wherever he went, much to the dismay of his children as teenagers. He was curious, handy, and helpful in an extremely generous way. He was one of a kind and never one to follow the crowd. He loved being busy, fixing things and collecting anything that could ever be remotely useful in the future.
Peter is predeceased by his parents, Milica and Stojadin Stanojevich, and his brother Chuck Stanojevich. He is survived by his beloved wife Sonia, his children: Shannon (John Walker) of Toronto, Toni (Ian Cox) of Cumberland, BC, and Sasha (Ariel Fournier) of Edmonton, AB. Peter was a doting Opa to his three grandchildren: Pippa Walker, Finn Walker, and Declan Cox. He is also survived by his sister Joanne Stanojevich (Todd Martin) and his niece Tatjana Graovac of Hamilton. His memory is cherished by extended family in Germany, the United States, and Australia.
A funeral service will be held on August 29 at 11:00 a.m. at Knox Presbyterian Church, 182 Main Street, Thedford, Ontario. All are welcome to attend and celebrate a life well-lived. Donations in Peter’s memory can be made to the Knox Presbyterian Church Community Care Fund, which supports families in need in the local area. Donations can be made by e-transfer to kpcthedford@gmail.com or by cheque at the funeral. Online condolences and donations may be made at www.forestfuneralhome.com
1945 2025
Death notice for the town of: Forest, Province: Ontario
death notice Peter
Stanojevic 1945 2025
obituaries notice Peter
Stanojevic 1945 2025
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Peter
Stanojevic 1945 2025 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
