✝ PETER FARNESI SDS

RIP: 02/05/2025 - Milwaukee, USA

He was 98 years old and had been professed for 67 years.

In 1956, a newspaper ad from the Salvatorian Brothers described the kind of community life he felt attracted to. Soon he was on a train to St. Nazianz, Wisconsin, and there he found his new home. After a year as a Candidate, he entered the Salvatorian Novitiate in Colfax, Iowa, and professed his vows on 19 March 1958. As Brother Peter, he returned to St. Nazianz to work on the farm and as a baker for two years. His dream to become a missionary Brother became a reality in November 1960, when he went to the Salvatorian Missions in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), East Africa. Constructing wells became his trademark and for the next twenty-four years, he helped provide much-needed water along with generators to the people of Tanzania. Missionary life was more than just about spreading the faith, it was about making the lives of the people of Tanzania better and healthier.  In 1984, Br. Peter returned to the US. Among other things he worked in maintenance and construction of buildings until 1994 when he retired to Tampa, Florida. In the mid-2000’s he was able to make trips to visit Tanzania again feeling like “coming home” for him.

Br. Peter loved being around people and enjoyed lively community conversations around faith, politics, and life in general. He loved taking care of his gardens and giving flowers and plants to friends. Health issues and surgeries became a regular part of his life, and in 2012, he moved to the Society’s retirement community at Alexian Village in Milwaukee. Health issues continued and in 2023, he moved to Assisted Living at Alexian. Following a few days of discomfort and some pain, Br. Peter died on 2 May 2025, at the age of 98 with 67 years of religious profession. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living member of the USA Province.