Peter George Hallman

Birth: Aug. 6, 1950 Death: Jun. 22, 1999

An evening to remember Peter Hallman Christian Aagaard RECORD STAFF April 8, 2000

Peter Hallman was president of Hallman Eldercare, builder of housing for area seniors.

I never met Peter Hallman in person. But I get the impression, going over news clippings since his death last June, that he was the kind of fellow you could sidle up to without too much introduction and say, "Peter, I've got this idea knocking around in my head." And Hallman, a member of one of Kitchener-Waterloo's best-known and most philanthropic families, would listen. Not a patronizing sort of listen. A thoughtful listen. You would at least walk away with a name, a contact, an opinion -- another stone in the construction of a plan.

Tonight, people will celebrate his life by having a good time swapping stories over food at Bingemans in Kitchener. Hallman is the first posthumous honoree in the 13-year history of the Mayor's Dinner, which thanks people for their outstanding community work.

He didn't use his success in business to build fences to keep people away. Instead, he reached out, deliberately. The community was his home, not just the area where everybody else lived beyond the lot lines of his house.

He got involved.

Professionally, Hallman was president of Hallman Eldercare, which has built housing for seniors in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge. At the time of his death at 48, caused by a motorcycle crash June 22, Hallman was chairman of the K-W Community Foundation. His resume as a volunteer includes work with the Federated Appeal and its successor, the Kitchener-Waterloo United Way. He also served on the Breslau Recreation Association.

Kids called him "Coach." Hallman loved fastball, and put the family's name behind the midget boys Kitchener Hallman Twins and the senior Waterloo Hallman Twins. He was also, among other jobs, known as a youth worker at Breslau Mennonite Church.

When Kitchener-Waterloo and Freeport hospitals merged several years ago, Hallman led the transition committee. Not an easy job. Two hospitals, two different working cultures. But he had a gift for keeping meetings on track, getting people to talk, then encouraging them to have faith in their own decision-making.

"He had the ability to be vulnerable and put his stuff on the table," said John Fast, who, with Hallman and Milo Shantz, established the Centre for Family Business. "That disarmed people and tended to get the discussion down to a deeper level."

Jim Hallman, Peter's brother, said Peter filled his spare time with people. Young, middle-aged and older, they kept him energized. Sometimes, this meeting of minds was as structured as getting together over a late breakfast on weekends.

Sometimes, it was a whimsical act of kindness. When a young friend was laid up with a leg injury, Peter dropped by clutching a two-litre bottle of Coke, a bag of chips and a copy of Sports Illustrated.

The Mayor's Dinner raises money for The Working Centre and St. John's Kitchen, two agencies in Kitchener that help people who may be in a rut and short of funds. Peter Hallman had been involved in the event from the start.

He was a sounding board, a person who preferred to discourage bitterness and encourage co-operation, said Joe Mancini of The Working Centre. Mancini is not surprised that 700 people have bought tickets for tonight's dinner, the largest sellout yet.

For all the intended good cheer, some parts of the evening will be difficult. Among those who miss Hallman more than his friends and acquaintances are his wife Brenda and their children, Mark, Greg, Brent, Nadine and Eyves and the rest of his extended family.

The rest of us can only wish we had known him better.

Christian Aagaard can be reached at 894-2250, ext. 2660, by fax at 894-3829, or by e-mail at caagaard@therecord.com

Family links:

Parents:

 Lyle S. Hallman (1922 - 2003)

Burial: Breslau Mennonite Cemetery Breslau Waterloo Regional Municipality Ontario, Canada

Created by: Allan Dettweiler Record added: Jul 06, 2007 Find A Grave Memorial# 20316140