GORRIE, PETER Passed away at age 71 on January 4, 2021 in Victoria, BC. Friend, mentor, environmental journalist and communicator, truth-seeker, devoted partner, grandfather, and kindred spirit of children. Avid canoeist, Scrabble player and enjoyer of a good beer. He especially loved being anywhere in the North. Peter is survived by his beloved spouse Denise Morazé; sisters Beth Koski (Bill) and Anita Eveleigh (Roy) of Barrie, brother Paul (Janice) in King City, and sister-in-law Teresa Gorrie in Angus; their children James Gorrie, Catherine Gorrie, Lisa Koski (Gary White), Laurie Booth (Allan), Amanda Koski, Andrea Steed (Westly), Christopher Cutler (Kristy), Michael Cutler (Christie), Jason Gorrie (Tracy) and Andrew Gorrie (Karen); 18 grandnieces and grandnephews. He is fondly remembered by his cousin Bob Ward in Lively; cousins in Walkerton and Scotland. Predeceased by parents Peter Gorrie and Lily Ward Gorrie and brother Jim Gorrie. Peter and Denise met on a Bruce Trail hike in 1995.
In the fall of 2016 they moved to Victoria to be closer to Denise’s daughter Lisa Timmons (David Hill), and grandchildren Tristan and Jacqueline, and son Sean Timmons (Shannon) and children Jenna, Dallan and Reid in Calgary. Peter was born March 3, 1949 in Toronto and raised in Downsview. He graduated in 1971 with a BA in political science from York University. He moved to Ottawa to continue his studies at Carleton University. He was “seduced by the student paper and never looked back.” That led to a career in journalism at the Ottawa Citizen; News of the North, Yellowknife; in Fort McMurray, with two partners, launched and ran a successful weekly newspaper the Express; and the Edmonton Sun. Hired by the Toronto Star in 1989, he became known for outstanding work as environment reporter and ‘green’ automotive columnist. Peter loved taking complicated science and explaining it so people could understand. He also had a great sense of justice, writing about workers’ rights, racism and indigenous issues.
He retired from environment writing in June 2019 after being diagnosed with cancer. Peter loved camping, hiking, cycling, hockey and later tennis. He took up non-representational painting in the 1990s. His paintings were influenced by his experience investigating aspects of environmental issues and exhibited in Victoria. Special thanks to our friends, doctors at BC Cancer and palliative care staff at the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
If you wish, donations may be made to Friends of the Earth, CPAWS Wildlands League in Toronto, or a charity of your choice. A celebration of life will take place when possible. https://earthsoption.com/home/