PEMBROKE–Peter David Keniston, 63, passed away on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, following a sudden cardiac arrest.  He was an elevated soul who will be deeply missed by family and friends.

Peter was born on October 16, 1959, the son of the late Ralph and Sally Keniston. He was raised in Concord, N.H., and summered for most of his life at Newfound Lake which became his spiritual home.

Peter possessed many gifts – intelligence, good looks, athleticism, charisma and musicality. Things came easy to Pete which can often come with challenges but his ego never exceeded his accomplishments.

Peter attended Concord public schools and graduated from Bishop Brady High School. He had a terrific mind but hated the confinement of the classroom. In the sixth grade, he won the citywide Sargent Essay Contest which shocked his teachers and principal. He almost wasn't allowed to graduate from high school because he refused to cut his hair for the commencement ceremony. He hated being constrained by anything including alarm clocks and shoes and truly lived free his entire life.

Pete was an accomplished athlete in several sports but will best be remembered as a hockey player. He was a beautiful skater. His first coach was his Uncle John "Tarzan" Healy who helped to create the youth hockey program in Concord. In his later years, Peter was inducted into the New Hampshire Hockey Hall of Fame but, of course, did not attend the ceremony.

Peter was drawn to sales - from vacuum cleaners to pottery to real estate. Peter practiced the "takeaway" in all aspects of his life. He sold boats at the Newfound Lake Marina by showing customers the joyful experience of being on the lake - waterskiing, tubing, and dropping anchor at the sand bar. He could also sell you ideas and concepts that might expand your way of thinking.

At Newfound, Peter took over the role of resident stone mason maintaining the Eighth Wonder of the World - The Point - and the stone walls his father and Uncle Herbie had built to create it. He later built his own monuments - a firepit and garden - which will stand forever in his memory.

Peter was a true paradox. He never wanted to attend a party but would be the last to leave. A devout Christian, who never went to church. A talented singer/songwriter, self-taught on piano and guitar, who would rarely perform for others. His music could often be heard late at night drifting over the waters of Pasquaney Bay as he played alone to the stars in the sky.  Sadly, his original music is now lost to the world.

In the last years of his life, Peter was a devoted caregiver to his mother who predeceased him in December of 2022.

Peter is survived by his brother Paul, sister-in-law Christine, and nephew James Keniston of Dallas, Texas; his niece Erica and husband Greg and their children Carter and Vivian of Cypress, Texas; and his sister Sheri and her partner Seth Levine of Portsmouth, N.H. Peter will be remembered with love by his Aunt Peachy Healy and a multitude of cousins, friends and admirers. We will never forget the conversations and time spent with Pete.

A celebration in Peter's honor was held at one of his favorite places, the Robertie Family Barn in Hebron, N.H., on October 14, 2023. A memorial service will be planned for the Summer of 2024 at his beloved Newfound Lake.

Donations in Peter's memory may be made to Concord Youth Hockey, P.O. Box 682, Concord, N.H., 03302