Peter Anthony Newbould

Age 69, of Grand Pré. Peter passed away peacefully at Valley Regional Hospital, Kentville on September 15, 2021. Born in Halifax April 10, 1952, he was the son of the late Harold and Frieda (née Rice) Newbould.

A much loved husband and best friend of Naomi Blanchard, Peter was Dad to Eric Newbould (Angèle LeLievre), Halifax and Andrew Newbould (Carrie Hildebrand), Dartmouth, stepfather to Mark Blanchard (Carrie Forrester), Wolfville and Fleur Blanchard (Dean Tsaltas), Halifax. He was also a beloved Papa Pete to grandchildren Cooper Newbould, Luke and Liam Fisher, Alex and Emma Blanchard, and Lia and Sophie Tsaltas. Peter was a kind brother to Pamela (Bob Vair), Truro and uncle to Sarah (Marc Hill), Okotoks AB, Rebekah (Joseph Thompson), Fredericton NB and Matthew Vair (Meredith), Listowel, Ont. Peter was close to many Rice cousins in the Maritimes and to Newbould cousins in the UK. 

Peter grew up in Dartmouth and at the old family home in the Valley. He attended Dalhousie University earning an undergraduate degree in Psychology, later completing a Master’s degree in Public Administration. His career included being a roughneck on offshore rigs, then a 30-year career with the Province of Nova Scotia in community planning and as Executive Director of the Heritage Property Program. Following retirement in 2005, he sat on the Advisory Council on Heritage Property as a member and then Chair. He was passionate about preserving and protecting the province’s most historically significant structures. 

Peter was especially proud of his Rice family heritage. The ancestors arrived in Nova Scotia as New England Planters aboard the "Charming Molly" in 1760 and settled near Bridgetown. He was proud of their life-changing journey as immigrants and how their descendants have helped shape what Nova Scotia is today.

Peter had his own life-changing event while working for the province, served with a subpoena to appear as an expert witness at a planning hearing, thus meeting and some 15 years later, marrying Naomi, who had initiated the subpoena. 

In 1997, Peter and Naomi built Swallows’ Nest in Grand Pré, a beautiful neo-Gothic style post and beam farmhouse inspired by his grandparents’ house. The scene of many gatherings of friends, family members and neighbours over the years, they married there in 2002 with an unconventional backyard event. Peter loved his home, the prolific garden and especially mowing the lawn on his John Deere tractor!  A true Renaissance man, Peter enjoyed US politics, reading, crosswords, cooking and making jam, wine, and beer. His best times were when grandkids were around, and he was cooking his specialty grilled cheese. Peter was a kind and caring man. 

Peter loved to travel, particularly to the UK, France, and Barbados, as well as through Canada and the US. He always returned happily back home to the Valley; it was his favourite place in the world.  

A trip of a different kind came in June 2019 with a six-month stay at a downtown Toronto condo. After finally being diagnosed with the genetic disorder Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency five years earlier, he relocated for a life-saving double lung transplant which took place that September. 

Returning to Nova Scotia, Peter was always so thankful for the chance to spend more time with loved ones and sip a craft beer while enjoying the backyard birds and view, even if it meant a regime of medicine, exercise and frequent tests. It was fitting Peter returned to the Annapolis Valley days before he passed, after a long Halifax hospital stay. He loved the Valley deeply. 

The family wishes to express heartfelt thanks to those who provided Peter with excellent and compassionate medical care, including Dr. Meredith Chaisson and Erin McAndrew, Halifax; Dr. Marty Leblanc and Jo-Ann Jackson, Halifax; all the nurses of unit 3B at the Victoria General Hospital in Halifax, in particular Jessica Kelly. Thanks also to Dr. Abdullah Aldaihani, Halifax and to Drs. Ann Gordon and Colin Burgoyne at the Valley Regional Hospital. 

Cremation has taken place and there will be no visitation. A private interment at the Lower Horton Cemetery in Grand Pré will take place in November.  

A Celebration of Peter’s life will be held at a future date, once public health regulations permit. Please email [email protected] to register for this planned event and/or to share your memories of Peter, which will all be incorporated in a Memory Book. 

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in Peter’s memory to the Valley Regional Hospital Foundation at www.vrhfoundation.ca. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville. On-line condolences and inquiries may be directed to www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com.