Dear Pete & Trudy,

I’m terribly sorry that I can’t be there with you as you transcend through this journey called life. I am incredibly grateful to have had you both in my life for 35 years – (and counting). You were there for me even as a teenager/young adult when my home life was in flux.

Some of my favourite family memories were our Sunday dinners and Christmases on Meadowlake. Gosh, we had so much fun!

But the bestest times were on holidays: our wedding [thank you again for the cruise], the Dominican Republic and course Costa Rica. Thank you for sharing your love of trvel, which I didn’t do until Rod.

Whenever anyone disrespects their in-laws, I proudly share that mine are extra-ordinary and that I have a special place in my heart for you both.

With so much love, Lina

Lieber Peter, Liebe Trudy - es war ein so schönes Erlebnis mit Euch diese schönen und eindrucksvollen Wanderungen in cr machen zu können! Es ist so schön zu hören, dass ihr beide soooo viel Kraft aufbringt um uns das alles mitzuteilen und wünsche Euch dass es weiterhin so bleibt und Ihr das viele schöne und positive Eures Lebens weiterhin seht! Ich habe zwar keine „Story“ aber ich umarme Euch beide! lichst Heide

I have a wonderful memory of Peter when we were in Calgary for the volleyball tournaments in 2016. He and you took me all over the place to show me the sights at the outskirts of Calgary. It was so beautiful everywhere around the City. Then we stopped at a place for coffee or ice cream. I think it was called something like Edelweiss or

Heidelberg? It was a wonderful time. I will always remember that day and I thank you for it.

Elisabeth

Hi Trudy. Tell Peter we love him and miss him at the golf course! He’ll always be the best sidewinder operator around!

Love Brian.

Hi Trudy, I send my thoughts and prayers to you and Peter. I was lucky to work with Peter he’s a great man! I really enjoyed our conversations out on the course. Enjoyed golfing with him! Enjoyed our laughs together! If there is anything you guys need, please do not hesitate to call or text. Praying for you guys.

Chris

Hey Peter, really sorry to hear the news. I hope you and your family are staying strong and finding some solace in all this. Whenever I think about our time working and golfing together it's nothing but fond memories and good times. I always think about your humor and smile and how much comradery we had as a team at Willow. Hope you are staying as strong as you can. I'll be keeping you and your family in my thoughts. Thank you for always bringing a smile to my face when we worked together. Stay strong.

Russ

Hello Peter just to let you know I miss you at work. I know that we only worked together for only a couple of years but they were all fun. Just to let you know there is still space at work for a good sidewinder, there’s still lots for me to learn from you. I think of you a lot you are a good man.

Allen

Hi Peter.

This is Tamara from willow.

I am so sorry to hear of your struggle with your health. We love you and miss you a lot. I hope you aren’t in pain, if you are, I wish I could take it all away.

I think of you often, it was an adjustment when you retired, but glad you were able to be at home with family. I miss hearing your voice on the radio when you called for Chris or Brian. I loved hearing your accent.

You are my favorite co-worker and I am so glad to have met you. Take care Peter. Love you so much

Dear aunt Trudy, we are so very sorry to hear that uncle Pete has passed away. My mom just said that she liked uncle Pete the most of all the Martens. She remembers uncle Pete being always positive. He will be missed by us all! We will be thinking of you especially now as you are in the process of entering a different stage. I only heard a little moan in the background while we spoke, but it will stay with us as the last sound I heard of uncle Pete. May he Rest In Peace and may you all be strong during this difficult time of his departure. From all of the Martens in BC.

Dad is also remembering his brother - in a more stoic way, but still affected.

Nubia Martens

Hi Trudy,

We both are so sad to hear that Peter is in palliative care. You are always in my thoughts and prayers even though we have not contacted each other for awhile. How are you holding up? Wish I am home so I could give you moral support.

We don’t know Peter that well, met him a couple of times and he is such a lovely person and always so supportive of you. We remembered he was chatting with us and has a great sense of humour. This world needs more lovely and kind people like you and Peter. You always tell me how you both enjoyed your holidays in Costa Rica. Missed those days we always stopped by planet organic because of you. You are the Rock there to hold the shop together, promoting and always thinking of innovative ways to promote their goods. No one is as hardworking and dedicated like you. Once you left we ( our group) did not go back because you were not there.

Praying to God to give you and your family strength during this time. Please send our love to Peter and tell him he is in our prayers.

Please take care. Hopefully you got your vaccine already too. Do take care and keep healthy.

Susan Tye-Lim

Hi Aunty Trudy, one of my favourite memories of Uncle Pete was of him climbing the palm trees when we were in Fiji. I remember thinking how amazing it was that he could just hop up there and grab a coconut. And thinking that there was no way my Dad would do that!

I also loved the massive walks he’d go on around Fish Creek park and hearing about how he’d just casually walk like 20 miles for fun. I really didn’t get it at the time but walking long distances especially in nature away from the traffic is something I absolutely love too. I can definitely understand now why he did it.

I’m happy for you to share these little memories.

Sending you both so much love and hugs from your family in the UK.

Love, Lindsay, Colin & Emily xx

Trudy, we are so sorry to hear of Peter being so ill, I know it will so hard for you and the family. My thoughts are certainly with you.

I remember you and Peter moving to Laurentia Bay, we did spend a lot of time together, camping, cruising, dinner club, and Peter and I worked together for some time. Those were some funny and good times.

Edith and Erwin.

Pete (my brother from another mother)

So many memories:

My first memory is of Pete paying me 25 cents to leave him alone with Trudy when they started dating. Good money for easy work.

Pete had a 55 Chev Belair 2 door hardtop with Hollywood mufflers. I really liked that car. He must have been very much in love because he traded it in for a Volkswagen. Impressed our folks but me not so much.

Big memory of a Sunday afternoon game of cards with Pete. Seems he had to take off to attend the birth of his daughter, Cori. Pete, I think it’s still your deal!

One time Pete and Trudy arrived at our Richmond home unexpectantly on their way home from somewhere. I think I remember us drinking a whole bunch of Fijian Rum (54% alcohol) and then Pete being poured on a plane to Winnipeg. Who knows what really happened?

I admire how Pete and Trudy took advantage of every airline deal that I presented to them and we did some very memorable trips together.

Pete is one of the most hard-working men I know. I couldn’t wait to retire. Pete never did. Great sense of humour.

I’ll always know you as Vetter Schultz.

Much love from John and Carol

Opa

Tall and quiet, tan and smiling. All my memories can be described that way about you. I feel fortunate to have had a wise grandfather who grew to be gentle and strong.

I don’t have one specific memory that resonates. I do have all these memories when your calm presence made me cherish those times all the more. In 2014, when Harlo and I went to Costa Rica to meet up with you and Oma, it would be the quintessential Opa time. You’d come with us to the ocean and float as we swam through the waves. You were more boyant than a seagull. You learned how to say “hashtag dord” for no other reason than it made us laugh.

You did so very well in eery moment I’ve known you. Your kindness is something I will keep with me forever. You are loved and you will be missed. I love you!!! – Lauraline.

My dearest Opa,

When I was once the size of a big housecat, I was curled up on your warm belly while you were watching golf on your ancient TV. That thick living-room carpet, absorbent and soft, was as if able to remember and hold the delicious smells of bread, dill, beets and celery at all times -- the many familiarities that I associated with you in our shared moments of comfort. I would gaze up dreamily into your frames, watching the tiny reflection of the game of kings; those little figures in white flickering like tiny snowbirds in a green sky. Your heartbeat, enduring and slow as it has always been, would bend the folds of time around us. After a few minutes, your eyes would also start to droop -- we would be at once sleeping together for hours under that big prairie sun. I wonder if we were both dreaming about mini-golf, or horses, or dangerous mountain cats. If you’re reading or listening to my letter, then it must almost be your time to go. So know that I am here with you, curled up on your belly. I realize that that would be a weird thing to picture now, as I am 24 years old and definitely no longer the size of a housecat. It’s amazing to believe I was ever even the size of a carrot -- remember the one you harvested that was longer than I was tall? When I was that small, a goose seemed even more fierce and enormous than usual. It’s late now as I’m writing this letter, and ever so slowly, I am finally recognizing what it means for you to be leaving. It feels like such short notice now. I have tears in my eyes, in longing and in joy. If only I was sleeping on your belly now, I know you could magically slow time all over again with the sound of your heart. I wonder where you’ll go, Opa. To be honest, all I can picture is you driving off into some lovely unknown, in that big blue van I loved so much, with your Paraguayan harp cassettes all in a big messy stack between the seats. Driving with admirable confidence, despite your gut knowing you were lost, or maybe you just didn’t care. I wonder just how lost you’ll get without everyone else in the car bickering and making fun of your sense of direction! But I bet the sounds of those beautiful harps will help guide you somewhere -- to heaven? Who’s to say. I wonder if you’ll find yourself back in Costa Rica after all, in those sacred mountainous jungles. What I would give to wake up before birdcall and walk with you for hours along the beach as the sun wakes up the world. What I would give to share a warm 9 am beer in your presence, only to be followed up with another perfect hammock nap. And what I would give to be on your team knowing we were about to win one more game of Canasta, barely able to hold a poker face about us as Oma searches us for answers across the table. Opa, thank you. Thank you for teaching me to not take things too seriously. I had so much fun with you! That’s not something anyone can ever take from me. You are my Opa, my Schatzi, and my dearest friend. I will miss you, for the time that I won’t see you, until I see you again on that eternal, long-stretching beach. When I see you again, we can try all the best ceviche places and ride horses all over again. I will never forget you. From the bottom of my heart and for always. With my deepest possible love, Your grandchild; Hanshen, and from all of us.