John Meister

J. Peter Meister, age 62, died Tuesday, November 26th at the family home of his dear cousin, Wm. Paul Diefenbach and his wife Tracey in Erie, PA after an eleven month battle with esophageal/stomach cancer.

Peter was in the care of his cousin Tracey Diefenbach, His husband and longtime best friend, Gerald Mcloughlin and the Great Lakes Hospice team.

Peter was a lifelong resident of Shelter Island and moved to Jupiter, Florida just over one year ago.

During his life, Peter studied at George Washington University, Washington DC, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and then later a Master’s degree in Social work from Stony Brook University. Peter was the Director of Stepping Stones East in Hampton Bays for 16 years, until the facility lost funding in 2011 and was closed.

Peter loved to garden, walking and loved to cook and above all, loved people. He was a kind, caring and compassionate man.

He is survived by his husband, Gerald Mcloughlin, his cousins Wm. Paul Diefenbach, MD and wife Tracey; Pamela Diefenbach, MD and her husband Donald Pensack; Andrew Diefenbach and his wife Cherry and Carol Jean Diefenbach; very close friends, Lion Zust, Karen Edwards and Joe Lauro, Linda and Phil Diorio, Mia Grosjean, Nancy Burke, Jose Luis Donaire, and all of the Feely Family.

A memorial service is planned for late spring 2014 on Shelter Island.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Great Lakes Hospice, 1700 Peach Street, Suite 244, Erie, PA 16501.