Father David J. Peter

Father David J. Peter, a retired diocesan priest, died April 17, 2017, at the Brothers of Mercy facility in Clarence. He was 76 years of age.

He was born Sept. 26, 1940, in Buffalo, to John and Isabel (Nassief) Peter. He attended Diocesan Preparatory Seminary in Buffalo, Our Lady of the Angels Seminary at Niagara University and St. John Vianney Seminary in East Aurora before being ordained in 1966 at St. Joseph New Cathedral in Buffalo.

That same year, Father Peter served in a missionary apostolate at St. Frances Cabrini in Collins Center before being named assistant pastor of St. Mary Parish in Lockport.

From 1967-78, he served as assistant pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Niagara Falls, St. James and St. Agatha in Buffalo, St. John the Baptist in Lockport and St. Edmund in Tonawanda.

In 1983, Father Peter became pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Forestville, and in 1987, he was named parochial vicar at Infant of Prague in Cheektowaga. In 1988, he served at Immaculate Conception in Ransomville and Nativity of Our Lord in Orchard Park, before becoming pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Buffalo in 1989. He was named pastor of Immaculate Conception in Eden in 1995.

Father Peter served his last assignment, as pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary in Niagara Falls, from 2000 until his retirement in 2002.

He is survived by two sisters, Carol Peter-Tabone and Lorraine Sebian, and a brother, Norman Peter.

Visitation will be held on Friday, April 21, from 3-8 p.m. at the Lester H. Wedekindt Funeral Home, 3290 Delaware Avenue, Kenmore. Visitation will also take place on Saturday, April 22, from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. at St. Stephen's Church where a concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Bishop Edward M. Grosz, Auxiliary Bishop of Buffalo, will be the principal celebrant. St. Stephen's Church is located at 2100 Baseline Road on Grand Island. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Kenmore.