It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Bassin on April 28, 2022. Peter passed away peacefully at home with family by his side.
Peider, or Peter to Maggie, leaves behind his best friend, best crew, and loving wife Martha “Maggie” Bassin. Peter, “Bap” was the fun-loving father, inspiring coach, “nothing beats hard
work” teacher and riveting storyteller to Erica Tucker-Bassin (Paul Tucker), Peter Bassin (Maris Lush) and Willy Bassin (Angela Wilson-Bassin). He is most saddened to leave his grandchildren Annemieke and Syree (Erica), Liam and Heidi (Willy) and Noelle and Annika (Peter) and promised to cheer them on from Heaven’s bleachers. He is their biggest fan and has left them with inspiring life lessons and training secrets. Peider will be dearly missed by his sister Cilgia Canessa (Carlo) of La Spezia, Italy, where they lived and went to High School, and by his brother Gian Martin Bassin (Elvira) of Zurich, Switzerland, where Peider went to trade school and attended the military. Peider’s family circle in Canada, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands will cherish their fun-filled adventures with him.
Peider was born in Madulain, Switzerland, to Martin and Erica (nee Mueller) Bassin on August
21, 1935. Growing up in the Engadin Mountains, Peider loved to climb and hunt with his father
and uncles; this was also the place where his passion for ski racing started, skiing to and from
school. Peider’s patisserie trade was crafted in his family’s shop in La Spezia, Italy. When Peider’s experiment with blue coloured cakes fell flat, his father sent him to Canada in 1957 to
learn from a Swiss Hotelier in Muskoka, Ontario. Within a month, Mr. Joe Zuber of The Walper Hotel convinced Peter to join his kitchen staff as a pastry chef and ice sculptor. Peter’s move to Kitchener brought him to English class, where he met the love of his life Maggie (nee DeGroot). They were married on Nov 4, 1961, and their life of never-ending adventure began. Together with Gian Martin they built their house and later their boat. They agreed that Maggie would teach him sailing and he would teach her how to ski. After many years of practice, they won their first Canadian sailing Championship, and in 1968 they won the North American Championships. With the birth of their children in 1969, 1970 and 1971, they hung up their sails for skis. During this time Peter was asked to help start the Food and Beverage Management Program at Conestoga College, where he taught for 25 years. He placed Conestoga College on the map by winning many patisserie competitions, setting a Guinness Book of World Records with his students for making the world’s largest omelet (12000 eggs) and creating the tradition of the Oktoberfest Pancake breakfast. In the evenings, Peter was the Head Coach of Chicopee Ski Club, where for 30 years he taught his athletes the value of hard work and on occasion, how to climb a hill with skis on. Among his many awards Peter won Coach of the Year by both Alpine Ontario and the Canadian Ski Coaches Federation, and is a Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Hall of Fame Inductee as a sport builder. In his retirement from coaching and teaching Peter enjoyed the game of golf more for the friendships made and the Romeo’s Wednesday morning Kaffeeklatsch.
Thank you to the friendly and compassionate staff of Paramed who understood Peter’s wishes and guided him well through the difficult journey of stomach cancer.
We are deeply moved and thankful for the continued support of friends and neighbors and would like to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude to Lynanne Rooney, Dr. Elliot Williamson, Otto Jeske and Stephanie Ringwald.
Mass will be celebrated on May 4, 2022 at 12:30 pm at St. Clements Church, 745 Duke Street,
Cambridge Ontario. Cremation has taken place.
As expressions of sympathy, please consider donating to the St Vincent De Paul Society care of St Clements Church. Donations will support the distribution of food vouchers for people in the Preston area or donating to the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre.
“Hey Lady! Hey Mister!” please help us celebrate Peter’s passion for life and bask once again in his warm friendship on May 29, 2022, from 1 to 5pm at Deer Ridge Golf Course, 200 Deer Ridge Drive, Kitchener Ontario.
Messages and condolences may be left at www.trictycremations.com. Please visit Peter's obituary notice on Facebook.