Peter Antovich

Peter (Petar) Antovich passed away peacefully at home with his family in Seattle, Washington on August 27th, 2021 after bravely fighting liver cancer secondary to hepatitis C.

Peter was born in Seattle on December 6th, 1946. He was the eighth child of Stefanija and Djoko Antovich, who had emigrated from Montenegro in the 1930s. Peter was raised on their farm in South Seattle with his seven sisters and brother, where he learned the importance of hard work, family, and resilience, all values that shaped his life.

At 20 years of age, Peter was drafted into service and fought in the Vietnam War from 1967-68. He was commended for his skill and bravery as an infantryman and received a Purple Heart when he was wounded in action and suffered significant hearing loss. His experiences on the front lines remained with him throughout his life.

One of the greatest blessings of Peter’s life was the love he shared with his wife, Diane, and their three children, Autumn, Dylan, and Erin. Peter and Diane were a wonderful team throughout their 40-year marriage. Their deep love persisted from their 20s to their 70s and they continued to share daily moments of joy the whole way through. Peter adored his children and provided them with a wealth of love, care, and support throughout their lives.

Family was central to Peter's life, and everyone knew he was the most caring husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, and uncle anyone could ask for. He loved his big Antovich and Gill families dearly and cherished spending time together on birthdays, hosting holidays as Chef Petar, and celebrating special events. He was famous in the family for doing the splits at weddings and showing off his moves on the dance floor. More than anything, he loved entertaining the kids in his life with comedic antics that always elicited a laugh or a smile.

Through family traditions, Peter connected deeply with his Montenegrin heritage, which was a source of great pride to him. Many of us will remember him roasting whole lambs over the pit at St. Sava, knocking eggs at Easter, and breaking bread on Božić to share that heritage with family and friends. He was also thrilled to meet many extended family members in Montenegro in 2013.

In all aspects of life, Peter exemplified hard work. He always cared about the details, whether he was building his construction business from the ground up or just working in the yard. His work ethic was epitomized by the way he meticulously planned and maintained the beautiful family home he built by Lake Washington. Peter’s hard work lives on through the many homes and businesses he constructed throughout the Seattle area in the 45+ years he ran Antovich Developers and Contractors as well as through his influence on the colleagues and employees he worked with over those many years.

Throughout his life, Peter was always active, whether he was running, biking, or hiking Northwest trails. Although these activities demonstrated his physical strength, it was Peter’s profound emotional strength that rendered him a constant source of support to everyone and helped him courageously face the last three years of difficult cancer treatments.

Peter was a storyteller who could light up the room with energy and humor as he told a story at full volume. That quality, along with his magnetic charm and endless enthusiasm helped him build and maintain a close network of lifetime friends with whom he shared many good memories. He will be remembered for his kindness, his generosity, and his ability to express his love for the important people in his life. He was a hugger!

Peter touched the lives of many and will be missed by all. We hope that you continue to hold his loving smile in your hearts and memories.

Peter is preceded in death by his father, Djoko Antovich; mother, Stefanija Antovich; brother, Danilo Antovich; sister, Vidna Lundin; father-in-law, Roger Gill; mother-in-law, Colleen Gill; sister-in-law, Katy Gill; and brothers-in-law, Carl Lundin, Victor Kaloper, Stanley Hanauer, LeRoy Skjonsberg, and James Olsen. He is survived by his wife, Diane Gill-Antovich; their three children, Autumn Antovich-Skeel, Dylan Antovich (Shauna), and Erin Antovich; grandchildren, Abigail and Emma Antovich-Skeel; sisters, Darinka Brown (Dale), Danica Kaloper, Borika Skjonsberg, Zorka Tubbs (Joe), Ljubica Hanauer, and Jovanka Antovich; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. He loved and adored them all.

A private graveside service and burial will be held at Lakeview Cemetery. A memorial open to all who knew Peter will be held at the Edmonds Waterfront Center (220 Railroad Ave, Edmonds, WA) at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 2nd, 2021. If you plan to attend the memorial and are unvaccinated, we ask that you have a confirmed negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the memorial, per venue recommendations and family wishes. Masks are required throughout the event.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Vietnam Veterans of America (vva.org/donate/) in Peter’s memory would be greatly appreciated. If you prefer to donate via mail, make checks payable to Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund at 1235 South Clark Street, Suite 910, Arlington, VA 22202.

Vjecnaja Pamjat / Memory Eternal