Peter Joseph Pijoan

Peter Joseph Pijoan lived a full and generous life. Peter left us on June 21, 2024 at the age of 89. He leaves behind four sons, Michael (wife Joanne), Timothy (wife Lisa), John, and Jimmy, as well as two daughters, Lisa Goodwin (husband Timothy) and Nicole Morales (husband Ricky).

Peter is predeceased by his wife, Emma Louise Elliott Pijoan. He is survived by brothers, Nick (wife Athena and children Erica and Randy) and Oliver (wife Janna, sons Michael and Xavier), and sister Theresa (daughters Nicole and Clare). He also leaves behind grandchildren Matthew, Melissa, Brittney, Alex, Haley Joy, Nyre, Antonio, Fabian, Kiara. He also had two great grandchildren, Princeton and Juniper.

Peter was born in Montreal, Canada on August 27, 1934. His family, brother Nick, father Michel, and mother Susan, moved to Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University with degrees in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. His brother Nick retells the stories of what a great brother he had growing up in Baltimore, how Peter (aka Chip) would take such good care of him while their single-parent mother was at work. His brother states that Chip was the “best brother a guy could have.”

He met his wife of 64 years, Emma (Emmy), in Baltimore at a Lutheran Church youth group event. They were married a short time later. Once married, they moved to Hudson, New Hampshire where Peter began his first job as an engineer with Saunders Associates (now part of BAE Systems Electronics and Integrated Solutions). Peter then moved his family to reside in North Reading, Massachusetts, where he continued his engineering career as a project manager at Draper Laboratories in Cambridge, MA. 

Peter and Emmy were members of Messiah Lutheran Church in Lynnfield, MA. He began his puppet ministry there. He loved sharing the gospel message with children, using puppets to proclaim the Good News. He continued this puppet ministry for many years and was often asked to bring these gospel stories to various churches throughout the Boston area. 

In 1970, his father, Michel, asked him to become the caretaker for the San Juan Pueblo Mercantile in San Juan, New Mexico. Peter accepted his family responsibility and moved his family of 5 to a completely different culture and climate to run the mercantile. Tragically, two years into this position, a fire destroyed the mercantile and Peter returned home to North Reading, MA. He was able, through the grace of God, to return to his position at Draper Lab, and eventually even to the same house in North Reading, MA they had sold. 

Peter and his family joined the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Woburn, MA and he became actively involved in the Youth Ministry and Sunday School program. He took many of the youth group members on hikes in the White Mountains and became involved in volunteering at Camp Calumet in Ossipee, NH. During this time, he mentored many of the youth and discipled them in their faith.

As the majority of their children grew up and moved out on their own, Peter, Emmy and Jimmy began a ministry in Dorchester, NH at Asa’s Farm, where Peter discipled homeless men from Boston. He helped them gain the life skills needed to get off the streets and into decent jobs so that hopefully one day, they could own their own homes. When the program in Boston ended, Peter moved his family to Alton Bay, NH where Peter began working as a Retreat Director at the Alton Bay Christian Conference Center. There, P-E-T-E-R became a household name, as Peter hosted many church groups, entertaining them with his sense of humor and love for the Lord. He decided to enter the technical field of work once again and became the television director for the Lakes Region Public Access in Laconia, NH. He was the general manager for the television studio.

Peter realized there was no local television broadcast station in Wolfeboro, NH and developed the 501(c) (3) non-profit organization known as Wolfeboro Community Television. Peter was often found at all local town and school events, with his camera set up, filming life in the “Oldest Summer Resort in America.” The television studio continues his legacy today, doing the important work of documenting life in Wolfeboro. As in Alton Bay, Peter became well known and developed many friendships in the town of Wolfeboro. He even took up a brief acting career in the play “On Golden Pond”, where he starred as Norman Thayer with the Village Players. The play was a rousing success. In his retirement, he enjoyed sailing, swimming, and volunteering at the Windrifter Resort, and even served on the Board of Directors at the Windrifter for many years. Peter was an active member of First Christian Church in Wolfeboro, NH for many years and ran the tech booth for them, doing the sound and videography for their worship services. 

Peter Pijoan left the world a better place due to his kindness, sense of humor, and love for the Lord Jesus Christ. He brought smiles, laughter and help to so many people. He touched many people's lives and will always be remembered as an intelligent, charismatic, and good-humored soul. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at the First Christian Church in Wolfeboro at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 13, 2024. All are invited to attend the service. Burial will be at a later date, as a private ceremony with immediate family only. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Wolfeboro Community Television, 396 South Main Street, Wolfeboro, NH 03894.

Lord Funeral Home in Wolfeboro, NH, is assisting the family during this difficult time.

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