Peter Colquhoun, Md

Peter Jeffrey Colquhoun, 65, of Battle Creek, MI, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on December 17, 2021.  He was born in Battle Creek to Graham and Bonnie (Rabe) Colquhoun on October 4, 1956.  Jeff is survived by his wife and helpmate of 30 years, Diane; children, Peter, Gillian, and Brigitte; sisters Breah (Bill) Mohr and Heather Colquhoun; cousins Steve Rabe and Letah Graff, and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents.  The goal of his life’s journey was to follow Jesus Christ, in whom he placed his identity. Jeff was salt and light to all who knew him. He was a friend and personal witness of Christ and a minister of reconciliation for many.  Through good times and bad, including his 10 year battle with cancer, Jeff was assured as one who loved God and was called according to his purpose, that all things worked together for his good. The Lord kept Jeff in perfect peace beyond understanding because of his trust in God – in His goodness, love and sovereignty.  After attending Lakeview Public Schools, he earned his bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he joined the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, meeting many lifelong friends. He went on to Wayne State University School of Medicine where he met a study pal who eventually became his sweetheart and beloved wife, Diane.  Jeff achieved his Medical Doctorate Degree in 1983. His internship was completed at Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver Colorado, and his residency in Ophthalmology was completed at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary (NYEEI) in 1987. Following his residency, Jeff completed a Medical Retina Fellowship at the NYEEI and Gramercy Park Eye Institute in 1988.  Jeff loved his hometown, Battle Creek, coming back to live and work where he had been raised. He was committed to his community and was invested in its people. Jeff’s deep love for God spilled over to a love for people, having never met a stranger. Characteristically, while serving with Diane as Co-Chair of the Battle Creek Community Prayer Breakfast, God placed in his path a “This I Believe” Speaker, a graduate of the Life Recovery Program at the Haven of Rest, who became a lifelong friend.  As an avid gardener, Jeff grew organic vegetables, fruit trees and encouraged more gardeners. He loved telling the story of his raspberry bushes first planted from seed as a second grade project. Anyone interested in planting seeds or pulling weeds with him would enjoy his wit, his revelries and a portion of the harvest. That harvest came in more than a paper bag. It was the fruit of the spirit, ripe from Jeff –his love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness and faithfulness.  Jeff was a devoted husband and father and the clear spiritual leader of his family. It was his love of the Lord which made him so. Time spent with his family, whether in serving others, gardening, working, praying, exercising, spending a meal together or in intentional conversation was precious both to him and his family.  Gifted with leadership skills, Jeff served on boards including the Family Y-Center, Battle Creek Unlimited, CityLinC Ministries and the Calhoun County Medical Society. At church, he served as an elder at First Presbyterian Church and on the board of First Wesleyan Church. Jeff was a man of vision and action, who collaborated with other local physicians to build the Brookside Ambulatory Surgery Center, where he served as Medical Director from 2002-2007 and as President of the Battle Creek Development Enterprise, LLC for 15 years.  Jeff loved mission work both domestically and abroad. All who needed help were served. With his servant’s heart and his willing and skillful hands, Jeff planted himself in the small village of Zimba, Zambia, where he faithfully visited biannually year after year, growing relationships. His mission was to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to improve the sight of the people. Problem solving, adapting to a changing situation, innovating and mostly loving people motivated him. He served with joy, with excellence and with humility.  As an athlete, Jeff was a mighty competitor due to his perseverance in training, warrior spirit and sheer love of sports. The love of swimming, running and biking fueled his participation in 199 lifetime triathlons and excellence in performance evidenced in his ranking as the Top Triathlete in Michigan for his age group for a number of years. Jeff ran many marathons, including the Boston Marathon and the New York City among others, with a personal best time of 2:49. The yearly Goguac Lake Swim was a favorite family event, and he loved a good game of tennis. More than competing, Jeff loved to support his children in their sports, whether serving as announcer at swimming competitions, coaching in tennis, cheering in the crowd, or by coming alongside them in training. In all he did, including sports, he did to glorify God, and in keeping with his faith, in the end, like the apostle Paul, he could say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  The family will receive friends at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home, 703 Capital Avenue SW, Battle Creek on Friday, January 7th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. The Memorial service to celebrate Jeff’s life will be held Saturday, January 8, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at Woodland Church, 14425 Helmer Road South, Battle Creek, MI. with visitation from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. The service will be livestreamed and may be viewed by visiting https://boxcast.tv/view/funeral-scgm29fl8y6xqhjdkljv A private family committal service will take place at Memorial Park Cemetery, Battle Creek.  Memorial contributions may be directed to the Haven of Rest Ministries of Battle Creek ( www.thehavenbc.org ) or to Woodland Church of Battle Creek ( https://woodlandchurch.com ).