Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Mark Berdux Peterson

Male 1950 - 2013  (62 years)


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  • Name Mark Berdux Peterson 
    Born 30 Aug 1950  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-204318 
    Died 17 May 2013  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I204318  Generations
    Last Modified 6 Apr 2024 

    Father Gilles Peterson,   b. 11 Nov 1923, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 9 Sep 2016, Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 92 years) 
    Mother Norma Berdux,   b. 30 Apr 1925,   d. 10 Nov 2018, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 93 years) 
    Married 12 Mar 1945 
    Family ID F62854  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Catharina "Ena" de Jong 
    Children 
     1. Dr. Wynn Sophia Peterson
    Last Modified 7 Apr 2024 
    Family ID F43360  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • PETERSON, Mark Berdux Calmly and with dignity, Mark's mighty life-long struggle with chronic illness ended on May 17, 2013, at the age of 62. His dogged determination to live a full life in the face of daunting ongoing health challenges earned him the awe and respect of all who knew him well. He will always be remembered as an unpretentious man of honest opinions who saw things as they are and was not afraid to speak his mind. Mark was the son of Norma and Gilles Peterson and the brother of Brad and John (Burcin) Peterson. He was married for 30 years to his soulmate, Ena de Jong. Mark was immensely proud of his beloved daughter, Wynn Peterson. The many hours he spent in the woods at his childhood home in Waterloo and at the family cottage at Lake Joseph fostered a deep respect for the natural environment. Building on a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and a decade as a draftsperson with the City of Kitchener's Planning Department, Mark earned a Masters of Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph in 1988. For the next 24 years he was a passionate advocate for his profession and worked on many urban open space projects in Waterloo Region. He was a dedicated member of the team that developed the Walter Bean Grand River Trail from its inception. He also found great satisfaction in helping to plan the revegetation of the Erb Street Landfill and working to transform the former Victoria Street North gravel pits into the Stanley Park Optimist Natural Area and Kolb Park. Mark loved good food and could concoct delicious meals with a minimum of fuss. He worked creatively with wood and was a versatile handyman, always involved in a project to improve his home. With ironclad opinions about the sustainability of the standard turfgrass lawn, he planted his entire property with vegetables, trees, shrubs, and native plants many years before it became fashionable to do so. Always with the environment top of mind, he was reducing/ recycling/reusing, long before it became the norm. Mark also had a strong sense of civic responsibility, serving for several terms on the City of Kitchener's Environmental Committee. Mark and his family are indebted to the many, many health professionals who cared for him over the years in Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Hamilton, and Toronto. In recent years Mark particularly appreciated the unwavering support of Dr. Gerry Rosenstein and the wonderful team at the Renal Unit of the Grand River Hospital. Donations to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, the Grand River Conservation Foundation, or a charity of your choice would be welcomed by Mark's family. You are invited to drop by and share your memories at a reception at the Ratz-Bechtel Family Centre, on Sunday, June 9, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mark so often commented that the only time he felt truly carefree was while walking on a trail through the woods. To celebrate his love of hiking and nature and to honour his contributions as a landscape architect, you are also invited to join the Peterson and de Jong families in a SHORT WALK AT KOLB PARK, Victoria Street North, Kitchener at 7 p.m. on June 9.

      Waerloo Region Record 23 May 2013

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 30 Aug 1950 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 17 May 2013 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth