Peter Mimnaugh

Peter Mimnaugh, 65, of Traverse City, passed away unexpectedly after a car accident on October 27, 2023.

Peter was born in Livonia, Michigan, to the late James and Margaret (Doherty) Mimnaugh. He married Sandra Jean Decker on November 24, 1978, at St. Paul's Monastery in Detroit, Michigan. Together, they lovingly raised 4 wonderful children.

Pete was the proud Irish son of James and Margaret Mimnaugh. He celebrated his Irish heritage with his family, friends, and community on a regular basis. Whether it be on the golf course, reading poetry, or singing Irish folk music; Pete was a proper Irishman through and through.
It was always important to Pete to conduct himself as a gentleman; this is a tradition amongst Mimnaugh men. This gift was passed down to him from his father and Pete did his best to pass it down to his sons and grandsons.

Pete had a deep appreciation for nature and found joy in gardening, often stopping by the side of the road to admire beautiful flowers. He enjoyed taking his family fishing and ice fishing. He had a passion for singing and poetry and often serenaded his loved ones, including "Just The Way You Are", by Billy Joel, a song he sang to his wife at their wedding. Peter was also a skilled cook who delighted in preparing delicious meals. He had a special fondness for bees and was a dedicated beekeeper.

Beyond his hobbies, Peter was a generous and caring soul. He expressed his love for his family through daily messages, poems, and affirmations, making sure to say "I love you" to each of them every day. He had a sweet tooth and enjoyed indulging in desserts.

In recent years, he dedicated his time to volunteering and mentoring, a guiding light and father figure to many. He was actively involved in Narcotics Anonymous, and proudly helped with many meetings and meals at the Church of the Nazarene. His hard working yet gentle and loving nature will be missed by all those who knew and loved him.

Through the many trials of life Peter developed an enduring faith and close relationship with God. He prayed each morning for God to reveal His will today and grant the strength to walk in it. In difficult times when things weren't going as expected he strove to maintain an upward focus and simply asked, "God, what do you want me to learn from this?" He recognized that his life was a gift from God, and he lived to share that gift with everyone. He was the first to admit that he stumbled often and sometimes felt he had gotten in the way of the Lord's good work, yet he endeavored to "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus" (1 Thes. 5:16), and to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:30).


He is survived by his beloved wife, Sandy, of 44 devoted years, his children, Peter (Holly) Mimnaugh of Rapid City, Sarah (Partner Sterling Hill) Mimnaugh of Lake City, Margaret (Fiancé Daniel Heath) Mimnaugh of Alaska, Daniel (Stevie) Mimnaugh of North Carolina, grandchildren, Peter, Pearl, Ruby, James, Holly, Coral, Zofia, Abigail, Morgan, Trenton, his siblings Kathleen Story, Ann Marie (John) Domka, Michael Mimnaugh, James (David Clark) Mimnaugh, John Mimnaugh and countless other loving family members and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial service to celebrate Peter's life will be held on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 11am at the Church of the Nazarene in Traverse City, with a visitation beginning at 10am. Pastor Rick Rice will officiate. Memorial contributions may be directed to https://www.gofundme.com/f/peter-mimnaugh .

In this difficult time, kindly share your thoughts and memories with his family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com . May Peter's kind soul and cherished memories bring comfort to all who knew and loved him.