Walter and Mary Petryschuk cared deeply about their community.
“They were not born and raised in Sarnia but they adopted the community and were very much a dynamic part of it,” Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said of the couple, who passed away just days apart last week.
Mary, age 86, passed away at Bluewater Health on Aug. 8., and Walter, age 87, died at home Aug. 10. The pair had been ardent supporters of the arts in Sarnia, alongside Walter’s pioneering leadership in the local petrochemical industry.
“He was an industrialist but very much had an environmental side,” Bradley said of Petryschuk, who moved to Sarnia as an engineer to head the former Polysar manufacturing facility and Suncor’s Sarnia refinery. He also served as the president of the Sun-Canadian Pipeline and the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering.
As Suncor Refinery manager, Walter was instrumental in arranging the Suncor $500,000 donation to the City of Sarnia towards the renovation and restoration of the Lawrence House in the 1980s, explained Leonard Segall, who chairs the board of directors for the The Lawrence House Centre for the Arts.
“In 2001 when the City of Sarnia was looking for a new tenant for the Lawrence House, Walter was again the driver behind creating The Lawrence House Centre for the Arts: a nonprofit registered charitable organization to animate the visual, literary and performing arts in the building,” Segall said, adding that Walter was the first chair of the board of directors and always remained an ardent supporter.
“Walter and Mary were regulars at our exhibition openings, and concerts, and attended our Annual General Meeting every year to keep abreast of our activities and our finances. They were enthusiastic supporters of everything we do.”
Walter's retirement present from Suncor was an annual donation to The Lawrence House Centre for the Arts for ten years to fund the Suncor Energy Foundation Walter F. Petryschuk Arts Award presented to a student pursuing post-secondary education in the visual, literary or performing arts.
“If it wasn’t for him,” Bradley added, “the Lawrence House wouldn’t exist.”
He described Walter as a ‘magnet’ for ideas.
“If you were in his presence you knew you were in Walter’s presence. He just cared deeply about the community and reflected that in all his actions.
“Everyone needs that in their life — someone that sparks your intellect, and sparks you to think in other directions — and he certainly did that to me.”
Mary was a founding instructor of DanceFit in Sarnia and continued until well into her 60’s, according to her obituary.
“She was also an accomplished business woman who ran the family businesses and was active on Boards of various organizations.”
“They were wonderful people; they were a strong team together,” Segall said, adding that the Petryschuks gave him the opportunity to practice his nature photography at Conservation at Hickory Creek — their personal conservation project. “I really valued their friendship and their support.”
This story was made possible by our Community Leaders Program partner.
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