Peter Maurice
Daly

1936 - 2024

It is with profound respect and deeper sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Maurice Daly, who, at the age of 88, passed away on August 5, 2024, at Sacre Coeur Residence in Montreal, Quebec. Peter succumbed to pneumonia, leaving behind a legacy of scholarly contributions, intellectual rigor, and cherished memories.

Les Services Commémoratifs Mont-Royal / ​Mount Royal Commemorative Services

Obituary

Peter Maurice Daly

1936 - 2024

It is with profound respect and deeper sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Maurice Daly, who, at the age of 88, passed away on August 5, 2024, at Sacre Coeur Residence in Montreal, Quebec. Peter succumbed to pneumonia, leaving behind a legacy of scholarly contributions, intellectual rigor, and cherished memories.

Born on June 3, 1936, in Bristol, England, to Maurice Daly and Ivy Sampson, Peter was raised in a working-class family that valued education and fostered his intellectual pursuits to become the first Daly “Doctor”. He earned his PhD from the University of Zurich, which laid the foundation for a distinguished academic career defined by a commitment to reason, truth, and diligence.

Peter began his professional journey as a professor at the University of New Brunswick in 1964 and continued his work at the Universities of Saskatchewan and Manitoba before settling at McGill University. There, he taught with distinction until his retirement in 2001, when he was honored with the title of Emeritus Professor. Throughout his career and well into his retirement, Peter published over 60 books and nearly 180 articles, earning him recognition as a leading figure in the field of Emblem Studies. With rationalism at his tiller and curiosity in his sails, Peter’s lifelong mission was to apply the principles of reason to uncover deeper truths.

Peter’s friends and family remember him not only for his academic achievements but also for his wry humor and philosophical reflections. In his later years, his thoughts turned to mortality. He thought what Descartes really meant with “Cogito, ergo sum” (“I think, therefore I am”) phrase was “Dubito, ergo sum” (“I doubt, therefore I am”). This playful yet profound reflection locates doubt and questioning at the heart of all intellectual inquiry—perhaps especially for those nearing the end of their lives.  This was Peter’s “ergo sum”: a careful dynamic of reason, humble reflection, and humor.

Peter increasingly ruminated on the fleeting nature of life and how it is beyond our control. A sideways look with the words “**it happens” became his refrain as both body and mind succumbed to the ravages of age. Yet, he would never complain. He always managed to navigate personal, professional, and health challenges with an outward calmness and internal discipline the was a combination of British stiff upper lip, protestant work ethic, and rationalist stoicism. 

Peter is survived by his three children Rachel Anna Daly, Sarah Zoe Daly, and Nigel Peter Daly, as well as his younger brother Michael Leslie Daly. He also leaves behind seven grandchildren: Francis Haley, Elisa Haley, Eric Haley, Alex Haley, Lauren Koch, Jordan Koch, and Jaylla Daly. Peter was predeceased by his first wife, Joan Betty Llewellin, and is also survived by his second divorced wife, Joan McIlhone and her children Jeffrey and Jennifer Ordronneau.

Peter’s legacy will be remembered not just in the volumes he authored, but in the intellectual curiosity and commitment to truth that he instilled in those who knew him. His life was lived with a clear mind, precise expression, a rational heart, and a quick wit for the absurd—qualities that will continue to inspire those who carry forward his memory.