Service to be held, fund set up for family of music teacher

NEWS — A memorial service will be held Thursday for a Kamloops music teacher as messages of condolence continue to pour in and a fund has been set up for his family.

Rob Petersen was riding his bicycle northbound down Springhill Drive last Saturday when a vehicle made a lefthand turn in front of him. He was thrown off the bicycle and landed in the roadway.

Petersen was unconscious and was rushed to Royal Inland Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

He was a teacher at OLPH and St. Ann’s Academy. A fund has been established in support of Judy and Nigel Petersen. A family spokesman said Wednesday donation cheques can be dropped off at either St. Ann’s Academy or OLPH (cheques should be made out to Judith Petersen) or deposited directly at an HSBC branch (account # CAHKBC 460-043676-150 Judith Petersen). Additional means of making donations online are expected to be in place soon.

In a communication to all parents, both schools are encouraging present and past students and families to attend either the memorial Masses on Thursday morning (9 a.m.) at OLPH or the afternoon (1 p.m.) memorial mass at St. Ann’s, rather than the 11 a.m. funeral mass on Friday at OLPH Church. Students planning to attend the mass are encouraged to wear red in honour of Mr. Petersen.

Both the OLPH and St. Ann’s Academy schools will be closed on Friday to allow staff to attend the funeral mass. However, the St. Ann’s Annual Christmas Bazaar will take place on Saturday at the school, as scheduled.