Obituary of Peter Harvey Sims

Peter Sims passed away at St. Mary’s hospital in Kitchener, Ontario on November 22, 2018. Peter was 85 years old.

Peter was born in Kitchener, Ontario on February 20, 1933, only child of James Kenneth Davidson Sims and Mabel Flossy Alquire Cameron. Except for his time away at Ridley College, university and law school, Peter lived his entire life in Kitchener as his father, grandfather and great-grandfather Sims had.

On a tour of Europe in 1954, Peter met Betty Byers and, in 1957, they married and built a wonderful and full life together.

Peter is predeceased by his wife Betty and is survived by their five children Harvey, Ellen, Kenneth, Alison and Margaret, his daughter-in-law Kim Sims, their grandchildren Michael and his wife Susie Sims, and Daniel Sims, Lyla, Peter, Eve, Ivy and Grace Smerchinski and Ella Sims, Josh and his wife Megan Perovic and his great-grandchildren Kiera, Declan and Alina Sims, and Kazimira and Johnathan Perovic.

Peter obtained his Bachelor of Commerce Degree from McGill University in 1955 and his LL.B. from Osgoode Hall in 1959. After being called to the bar in 1959, Peter joined his father in his law practice, which had been established by his grandfather in 1889 and which over the years grew and bore names including Sims McKinnon, Sims McKinnon Varey Griggs and Trafford, and Sims Clement Eastman and later merged with the national law firm Miller Thomson.  Peter was managing partner of the law firm for many years. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1972.

He was also the successful owner and chairman of Chicopee Manufacturing for 30 years, until selling it to Magellan Aerospace Corporation in 1998.

Peter served as a director and later chairman of the Economical Mutual Insurance Company for almost 30 years and also as a director and chairman of the Missisquoi & Rouville Insurance Company and the Waterloo Insurance Company. He served as president of the Waterloo Law Association and the Kitchener Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to his significant philanthropy, his volunteer contribution also included serving as a board member and chairman of the University of Waterloo’s Board of Governors and the Freeport Hospital Foundation.  In addition to numerous executive positions on other various charitable organizations, he served as president of the Kitchener Young Men’s Club, the Kitchener Federal and Provincial Liberal Riding Association, and Sunbeam Home.

Peter received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Waterloo in 1999, which was a tribute to his important contribution to the university and also to his father's legacy as a founding member of University of Waterloo's Board of Governors. His philanthropic gifts to the university included gifts for the creation of the Peter and Betty Sims Reading Room. The Sims Student Study Galleria in the Davis Centre Library was named in his honour.

As important as his career and his community involvement, Peter was devoted to his wife and best friend Betty.  They enjoyed their life together and their large family with family dinners, entertaining friends with dinners and parties, talking and telling stories for hours, trips and their shared interest in Chicopee Manufacturing.  When their youngest daughter entered grade one, Peter supported Betty in beginning her business career at the family aerospace company Chicopee Manufacturing Limited.  As her career flourished and in addition to his successful law practice and board work, Peter gradually took over cooking dinner for the family and over time cooking became his domain and a real joy for him and the family.

The family is grateful for the care provided by Peter’s caregivers which supported him in living independently in the home that he had moved into with Betty when they were first married until his final days.

Condolences for the family and donations to KidsAbility Foundation and the University of Waterloo may be arranged through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519.745.8445.

Friends and relatives are invited to attend the memorial at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street S., Waterloo, Ontario on Wednesday November 28, 2018, with a memorial visitation between 12 to 2 p.m. and the memorial service at 2 p.m.  There will be a reception following the service at The Bauer Kitchen, 187 King Street South, Waterloo, Ontario.