Obituary of Peter Frederick Hugo Conradi
CONRADI, Peter Frederick Hugo, died Sept. 4 at Saint John, New Brunswick Regional Hospital in his 92 nd year following a short illness.
Peter is pre-deceased by his wife Maureen (2001), his parents Frederick Knut (1976) and Eva (1981), his sister Marta Margrit (2012), brother Knut (1934) and half-sister Carrol (1989).
Peter is survived by children Peter (Jill) of Saint John, Timothy (Janet) of Lantana,Texas, brother Fredrick ‘Butch’ (Donna) of St. Catharines, sister Janet of Hamilton, grandchildren Andrew, Emma (Matthew), Matthew, Maxwell and Charley, nephews Michael, Sam, Paul and nieces Emily, Cathy and Nancy and sister-in-law Mary Clayton.
Peter was born in 1933 in Brooklyn, New York and emigrated to Ontario with his parents and older sister. He spent much of his life operating with his father and brother Conradi’s Service Station, which became a community fixture on the corner of York and Carlton streets in St. Catharines. The location also became known as a meeting place for local lacrosse pundits.
Peter followed in the footsteps on his father, Fred, a member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Peter was a player, coach, team manager, referee, local and provincial administrator. His first year as a coach was in 1950 with the Port Dalhousie peewees. With no experience behind the bench, that team won an Ontario championship. What followed were four straight Ontario titles, including an undefeated 1954 juvenile season. Peter was not only a coach to his players, but also a mentor and guardian. If kids needed equipment, he found it. If they needed rides to games and practices, he drove. If the teams needed uniforms, he got them. If they needed meals, he made sure they had full bellies. One season, 1963, he coached three teams, two in Port Dalhousie and the junior A team in St. Catharines. Overall, he coached the St. Catharines Athletics, St. Catharines SuperTests and managed the St. Catharines Legionaires at the junior A level. Having been a key figure in helping establish lacrosse in places like Port Dalhousie, Welland and Niagara Falls, he wondered about the east end of the Niagara Peninsula and turned his sights to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Virgil Warriors and Virgil Lacrosse Association were born in 1967 with a juvenile entry. That became a precursor to the Niagara Warriors junior B team in 1969 and back- to-back Ontario West titles. It also established a foundation for what became a multi-national championship franchise which still operates today. He was named Mr. Lacrosse in Ontario (1976) and was inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame (1988), later serving on its selection committee.
Cremation has taken place and at Peter’s request there will be no visitation or funeral. In lieu of flowers donations to the Hotel Dieu Shaver Hospital Foundation would be appreciated. Messages of condolence can be left at Castle Fallsview Funeral Home in Saint John.
