Peter Dreyfuss Obituary

My good friend has gone to a better place and I will miss him. Election Days will never be the same. He was one of my first friends when I moved to KC in 1992 and usually stayed at our house on his many trips back to KC from DC or CHicago. Most recently we spent a delightful evening in STL together as he was on his way to Colorado. I had hoped to visit him there next year. God Speed.

Peter was a close co-worker and friend, and I will miss his ability to make me laugh. He was a great person to debate issues with and had a special talent for challenging innovative thought. Peter, I will miss you...God's speed my friend!

Peter was a gift to our family. Our two girls, Cora & Celia, adored him. I loved listening in on conversations between Peter & my husband, Richard. They were lively and fascinating as they spoke about the thing that made them both so empassioned. Politics. Peter will be greatly missed for so many reasons.

We were part of Peter's adoptive family. He was an older brother-type to me. He was always there, be it for dinner, drinks, or a ball game. He sifted thru ash looking for, well, salvage, when our salvage company burned down. He talked the police out of arresting me. When my mother died, Peter carried her casket out of the church and put it into the ground.

Godspeed, Peter!

What a wonderful person Peter was. We knew each other growing up in Southeast Iowa and although he was several years older than me, he always treated me (and others) as an equal.

We reconnected at a funeral in Ottumwa, Iowa about 15 years ago and I was not surprised to find him a caring, sympathetic person. I'm sure he will be missed by all those that he touched.

Jay Silverman
Eugene, Oregon

We've known Peter for over 20 years and he was like a member of our family. Whether he was celebrating holidays with us; organizing the grandparents, our friends, and our son Reas for the ride to the airport to meet us as we returned from Brazil with our daughter Sarah; surprising us by showing up in Kansas City for our significant birthdays and anniversaries; to being a surrogate uncle for Reas and Sarah when they moved to Chicago - Peter was a major part of our lives and someone we could always count on.

He'll always be in our thoughts and our hearts and as the Rabbi said on Friday, that's what love really is.

I was first introduced to Peter when he hired me as an AmeriCorps member with the Metropolitan Energy Center. I then worked for him as an employee at MEC. He opened so many doors for me and always believed in me and my abilities. Peter was my mentor, my friend, and someone I considered part of family. Next to my parents, I have never felt there was anyone more proud of me and my accomplishments. He always made me feel like I was an amazing person. He is the reason I am doing the type of community work that I am. I credit him with so much of who I am. He called me almost monthly just to "check in" - just recently he sent me a signed copy of Al Gore's book, knowing how much we both like him. He was always doing things like that for me. I will miss him so much. My life won't be the same and the world just lost a wonderful person committed to making positive and lasting change. Goodbye Peter.
Love, Susan

The last time I saw Peter was at Dulles where he was on his way to Paris. I still remember my delight at meeting him there and how his forthcoming visit sounded like it was going to be so much fun. That was Peter as I remember - always happy, always pleasant and with always something interesting to say.

Peter was a source for many stories I worked on as a public radio reporter and producer in Kansas City. He was always very helpful, accessible, and knew what he was talking about. His disposition was always cheery- even if we asked him hard questions.
So sorry to hear about this great loss and condolences to his family.

Peter was my neighbor in Kansas City & was a tireless worker for making the neighborhood a better place to live. I shall miss him.

I was Admin. Assistant/Volunteer Coord. at the Metropolitan Energy Center from 1989 through 1994. By hiring me, Peter started me on the road to achieve my life’s dream of an environmental career. (I did not fully appreciate this at the time.) Peter and his staff taught me computer skills, office organization, newsletter writing, volunteer recruitment & many other skills. Peter inspired a commitment to excellence that other environmental organizations can only aspire to.

Behind the scenes, Peter used his network of contacts to ensure that projects were successful & sustainable, and taught everyone along the way what this thing called partnerships really means. The compressed natural gas fleet used by many Kansas City employees is a direct result of his efforts. Peter also worked with the local Full Employment Council to create jobs for urban low income youth. He was tireless in his efforts to improve the lives of Kansas Citians and our environment.

Peter was a very generous, empathetic person with a wonderful sense of humor, who taught me a lot. I have a wonderful picture of us together in my old office. His hair is black in the picture, but turned salt & pepper during the time I worked for him. The Herculean task of harnessing & focusing the professional energies of his less-than-grateful & just-as-determined younger female staff (yo!) may have contributed a little to that salt and pepper look!!

With love and respect forever, Dee Ann McCreary Gregory

I never had the pleasure of working directly with Peter but I knew of his passion for Energy Efficiency and policies directed at ensuring that homeowners in Kansas City's urban Coeur could afford to pay their energy bills.

Peter's legacy lives on at the Metropolitan Energy Center and his contributions to Kansas City benefit us all.

I'm missing you, my friend.

I knew Peter when he worked in Kansas City, for DOE in Washington and as my Director in Chicago. Peter was always an advocate for Renewable Energy and the Environment. Peter will be missed, as a friend, a boss and for his enthusiasm in life and his job.

I had the pleasure of working with Peter for many years and was always inspired by his love of energy and the environment. We have lost a wonderful man and a champion in the energy field. He will be missed tremendously.