Peter Mcinerney

Peter McInerney, 65, of Denver, Colorado passed away last month of a cardiac event while pursuing his favorite activity – back country skiing in the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains near Jones Pass, Colorado.

Peter was born and raised in Pittsfield, Mass., one of eight children of Robert P. and Gloria E. McInerney. He graduated from the Gunnery School and Hobart College.

Shortly after college, he moved to Colorado where he was captivated by the Rocky Mountains. Early on, he told a friend that he resolved to live his life there and to know the Rockies. Each week for over 40 years, he was up in the mountains having an adventure and taking notes. The journals and pictures he kept reveal the ever playful and thoughtful man he was: snow angels at 13,237 feet, birthday wishes written in the snow, fresh flowers left on a peak to say goodbye to a dear friend. Frequently, his entries ended with "Best Day!"

Peter devoted his life to serving the children of Denver, specifically the children of the Park Hill community and the Park Hill United Methodist Church Children's Center where he worked for over 37 years. He truly had a calling and believed that being surrounded by 4-year-olds was the best job in the world. What fun they had together! He was interested in the development of each and every child, keenly aware of their differences, interests, and abilities. Each day, he celebrated all that he considered to be important in life: curiosity, stories, the wonders of nature and art, and individual creativity.

Peter was an exceptional storyteller. He loved developing a narrative and capturing the imagination of his listeners – frequently his students. One day, he told his class about the many conversations he had with a new friend (named Isabelle) that he met while hiking. He then asked his students whether they would like to meet her? "Yes! Yes!", they shouted, at which point Peter brought out a glass jar containing the ladybug named Isabelle. After introductions, Isabelle was set free and the rest of the day was dedicated to all things ladybug.

Peter was devoted to his friends and family. He had a large circle of friends in Colorado with whom he hiked, skied, played softball, and conducted preliminary tryouts for the Olympic bobsled team. With these friends and with his family, Peter explored all the mountain ranges of Colorado and made numerous trips to the Wind River Range in Wyoming as well as to Alaska for sea kayaking.

Peter also made regular trips to visit his family in the Berkshires and Cape Cod in Massachusetts. On a trip to the Berkshires in 2015, Peter completed the Thunderbolt Race on Mt. Greylock in which he hiked up and skied down on his Nordic skis.

Despite living far from his parents, Peter was an ever-attentive son, providing patient and kind support to them as they aged.

Peter is pre-deceased by his parents and sister-in-law Ann Frodey and leaves his siblings: Alice, Eileen, Patrick, Michael, Joseph, Beth and Thomas; sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law: Cindy, Laura, Ariel, Heidi, and Bob, and nieces, nephews, grandnieces and a grandnephew: Keller, Jeanne, Eric, Megan, Christopher, Dylan, Brendan Katie, Lauren, Elise, Bahati, Clare, Kevin, Charlotte, Meredith, Ian, Abby, Madilyn, Henry and Elthea. He leaves two aunts: Mrs. Patricia Curd and Mrs. Irene Sullivan, as well as a cousin, Mrs. Nancy Marcus. He also leaves his cousins in the Curd, Sullivan, and Hofford families.

On Saturday, March 24, 2018, there will be a memorial service for Peter at Park Hill United Methodist Church Sanctuary at 12:00 PM. Following the service, there will be a block party at the Church playground/Courtyard.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to:

Park Hill Children's Center either by contributing through the GoFundMe account at www.gofundme.com/PeterRox or at 5209 Montview Blvd, Denver, CO 80207

Or to the Alpine Rescue Team:
P.O. Box 934
Evergreen, CO 80437