Colleagues yesterday packed Halifax Minster for the funeral of their much loved colleague anaesthetist Peter Alderson - pictured with his wife Alison.

Southport-born Peter worked at the Trust since 1992 until ill-health retirement late last year. In 2013 he won a Celebrating Success award. See attached. 

Colleague Peter Bamber delivered the eulogy and had asked theatre colleagues for some words in advance of the service.  They came back with comments including " Professional, charming a true and dignified gentleman. A family man, but who treated his colleagues at work as a family too."

They also loved his chirpiness describing him as  being "bright and breezy in the morning" and being "kind, above all kind."

Peter Bamber recalled stories from work recognising him being an expert Christmas quizzer and loving his Costa coffees.

Peter said: " Not only would he often be seen with one early in the morning but later on he would send someone with some of his money to get Costas for the theatre staff to keep them going!.  . 

His obsession with detail and precision and safety made him the anaesthetist of choice. Peter added: " Pete was well organised in every detail of his practice and indeed was chosen by staff who knew him when they themselves needed an anaesthetic." .

He added he had a very current in general scientific knowledge and a recent copy of Scientific American on the coffee room table was an almost permanent reminder of Pete’s presence.

Professionally, he sat on the quarterly local revalidation panel that advises the UK General Medical Council on the suitability of doctors to continue in medical practice, conducted annual appraisals of other anaesthetists, was an educational tutor for the staff and associate specialist doctors and a big support of simulation training. 

Peter's son Joe said: "Dad was kind, and generous to a fault. He was generous in spirit and with his time, taking great delight in widening the horizons of his sister Nancy and brother Phil with childhood games, quizzes and adventures. Dad and Mum arrived in Calderdale in 1992, and they settled down in this wonderful corner of Yorkshire".

Our thoughts to  Peter's family at this  very sad time.

 

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