J. Peter Williamsondied peacefully on July 30th in Hanover, New Hampshire after a short illness.

Peter was born in Toronto on Dec. 8, 1929, the son of John D. and Marie P. Williamson. He grew up in Toronto, attended Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario and graduated from Trinity College, University of Toronto in 1952 with a B.A. in maths, physics and chemistry. He received his MBA as a Baker Scholar, then his DBA both from the Harvard Business School and an LLB from Harvard Law School.

He taught for several years at the Harvard Business School after which he joined the faculty at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth in 1961. He loved teaching as well as mentoring young entrepreneurs. He served on the board of The Common Fund and for many years worked for The Institute for Quantitative Research in Finance. After his retirement in 1992 he continued as the Laurence F. Whittemore Professor of Finance, Emeritus. He worked on into his eighties as an expert witness testifying in utility cases in the U.S. and Canada. Throughout his academic career he was a prolific author of books and journal articles.

He married Sybil Benton in Norwalk, CT on December 28, 1957. They raised three daughters. Sybil survives him, as do his daughters Anne (Jim Barta) of Portland, Oregon, Sarah of Huntington, Vermont, and Julia of Portland, Oregon; two granddaughters, Archer Taylor and Grey Emily of Portland, Oregon; and his sister, Mary Frances Williamson of Toronto.

Peter was blessed with a brilliant intellect and an extraordinarily kind and generous spirit. He took great satisfaction from the countless hours he spent helping people sort out their lives and plan their futures. Many people were touched by his counsel and generosity and subsequently became members of his extended family. He was a skilled and creative craftsman, building cabinetry and furniture, printing and binding books and building stonewalls, gardens and a pond. He was an enthusiastic partner in Jubilee Farm in Huntington, VT, as well as Plainfield Cider Orchards which produces apples for Farnum Hill Cider. Peter was truly a steward of the land and believed in leaving the world a better place. These projects are testament to his optimism, work ethic and energy.

Peter was deeply engaged in intellectual pursuits. He was a lifelong student who studied languages and philosophy throughout his adulthood. He was an avid reader as well as an ardent book collector. He valued his conversations with the people around him and believed that discussing ideas was the highest form of discourse. He will be dearly missed by his family and his many friends.

A service to celebrate Peter's life will be held at St. Barnabas Church in Norwich, Vermont on Sunday, August 5 at 3:00, followed by a reception at The Dartmouth Outing Club. In lieu of flowers, if you wish, make a contribution to Heifer International.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH.