Peter Offer, who was a passionate and dedicated member of Rotary for 45 years, passed away on 2nd July after a short illness.
Peter first joined Rotary in 1977 as a founding member of Coventry Jubilee Rotary. He spent the rest of his life as a member of the club, where he also served as President in 2004/05.
He was District Governor for Heart of England (D1060) in 1987/88 before going on to become President of Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland in 2006/07. During his year as President, he adopted the Wheelchair Foundation as his charity, raising an incredible £500,000.
Peter Offer was a member of Rotary for 45 years and was Rotary GB&I President in 2006/07.
Peter visited Romania and South Africa with his wife Janis, who passed away in 2013, to present wheelchairs to hundreds of people from all walks of life.
Speaking at the time, Peter said, “Nothing could have prepared us for this experience. From the small child who was brought in a wheelbarrow, to the lady with twin teenage girls who, for 15 years, had relied on her husband to carry her around. The stories were endless.”
As well as holding multiple other roles within Great Britain and Ireland, Peter was Rotary International Director from 2015-17.
He forged and maintained strong friendships across the globe through his involvement with Rotary Conventions in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Lisbon and Glasgow, as well as representing Rotary International Presidents in Australia, New Zealand, Korea and across Europe.
Peter also chaired a Presidential Peacebuilding Conference in Coventry, the global City of Peace and Reconciliation, where he was a member of Rotary for over four decades.
Remembering Peter, Mary Cantillon, Secretary of Coventry Jubilee Rotary, said, “To say that Peter will be missed by many people is most certainly an understatement. His immediate family will feel his loss most keenly, however, his Rotary family too will mourn his loss.
Peter was a very sociable man, loved and respected by those who knew him. His humour, wit and wisdom will be greatly missed by all.”
In his life away from Rotary, Peter ran a successful soft furnishing business with his wife Janis for over 40 years. Peter is survived by his three children, daughters-in-law, son-in-law, and much-loved grandchildren.
Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland would like to thank Peter for dedicating so much of his life to Rotary.
