Peter D. Gaunt

15^th December 1951 - 24^th February 2022

Peter was born in Leicester on 15^th  December 1951. After attending Wyggeston Grammar School for boys, he went up to Queens' in 1970 to study Economics. Shortly after graduation, he married and began a long career in procurement, spending four years with a young family in Zambia working for Nchanga Consolidated Copper Mines Ltd.

Returning to the UK, Peter joined GEC Marconi Radar in Chelmsford and then moved to GEC Marconi Defence Systems in Portsmouth in 1989. Peter remarried in 1990 to Mary and they embarked on a new family life with their now five children.

Peter continued with his procurement career in the defence industry and GEC Marconi, moving to Kuala Lumpur in 1991, where he would spend four years. Returning to the UK in 1995 after many exciting adventures for the family. Peter remained with GEC Marconi in its merger into BAE Systems. In his final career years, he was employed by L3 Communications Marine Systems until his retirement in 2016.

Throughout their married life Peter and Mary enjoyed hill walking and family camping holidays. Since retirement, they relished long sea-bound adventures and family time at home enjoying their garden. He remained an avid cricket fan and they were loyal members of Hampshire County Cricket Cub.

Sadly, Peter was diagnosed with advanced oesophageal cancer in June 2021. With no long-term outcome, he remained positive and had a very pragmatic approach to his illness. After a course of chemotherapy, he was well enough to enjoy a family celebration of his 70th birthday. Peter passed away peacefully on 24th February 2022, in the home he loved, full of laughter and fun to the end, surrounded by his family.

Peter was a man of learning and enjoyed a successful career. He was respected by his professional colleagues and to the family and friends someone with a wicked sense of fun and a very sharp wit. He was a devoted and loving husband, a wonderful father and stepfather and an adoring grandfather to his very precious six granddaughters and grandson.

His loss is enormous, but we have been so privileged to have had him in our lives.

Mary Gaunt

July 2022