G. Peter Vander Heide

G. Peter Vander Heide, age 77, passed away peacefully at home with family in Philadelphia on November 18, 2024, after a five-year battle with colon cancer. He was born on January 29, 1947, in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Peter Vander Heide and LaVerne Vander Heide. Peter attended the University of Michigan graduating with a BA of Architecture in 1971.  He completed his MBA at the University of Michigan in 1977.  Peter’s architecture career led him to Philadelphia where he met his surviving wife of 44 years, Rena Elizabeth Vander Heide.

Peter was a wonderful dad to his two daughters from his first marriage, Jeanne M. Vander Heide (Brian Nottmeier) and Judith Gale Peterson (Ralph Peterson).  Grandfather Vander Heide is also survived by his 9 grandchildren Maia Vander Heide Baldwin, Aaron Peter Vander Heide Baldwin, Cori Anna Kiu (Brendan), Sarah Izzo (Teddy), Paul Peterson (Sarah), Luke Peterson (Jailin), Scott Peterson, Kate Peterson and Ben Peterson, as well as his 5 great grandchildren (Joshua, David, Jack, Joanna and Judah).

Peter’s career included working as the city Architect and managing the restoration of Philadelphia City Hall with its iconic statute of William Penn.  His innovative CAD skills were developed at the very onset of that technology, and he used them on a variety of large scale of construction projects, public buildings and residential homes.  Peter also provided architectural expert witness testimony for a variety of construction cases in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Federal courts.  Peter’s family will fondly remember his architecture skills as he designed and oversaw construction of a unique home in the Pocono Mountains where family and friends gathered.

Amongst his accomplishments, Peter was a proud member of the Union League of Philadelphia for many years.  He was a founder of the Philadelphia chapter of the Professional Services Management Association and served as President locally and Vice President nationally.  Peter was also a board member of the Delaware Valley Sail club.

Peter will be remembered as a soft spoken, intelligent man with a quick, dry sense of humor who loved the University of Michigan.  For years, he held season football tickets and he and Rena would travel to Michigan for fall football games at the Big House.  More recently Peter would avidly watch sports on tv, cheering his UofM football team to a national championship, but also watching obscure sports, if his Maize and Blue were playing.  He and Rena enjoyed travelling, sailing and skiing all over the world in their younger days.  Descended from a family of artists, his legacy lives on through his hobby of wood working including hand carved and hand painted decoys and a handmade canoe.   Peter’s stable presence and love as a husband, father, grandfather and friend will be sorely missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Peter’s Graveside Service on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 1:30 pm., at Gloria Dei Old Swedes Episcopal Church Cemetery, 916 S Swanson St, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Arrangements by the D’Anjolell – Stigale Memorial Home of Aston, PA 19014. 610 – 497 – 5505

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