North Wales Man, 53, Artist, Active Community Member, Passes Away

Image and obituary courtesy Huff and Lakjer Funeral Home

NORTH WALES, PA — Peter Siegmund Palau, 53, of North Wales, passed away Friday, July 20, 2018 in Abington Memorial Hospital following a prolonged illness.

Born in Philadelphia in 1965, he was a son of Wally (Faas) Palau-Santer & the late Siegmund Palau. He was also preceded in death by his step-father, Werner Santer; and his sister, Cordelia Palau.

Peter was a graduate of Upper Dublin High School, and went on to attain his Bachelors Degree in Computer Science form Aracadia University. He was employed as a computer programmer for Unisys Corp. and Reed Tech., and was also a freelance web and graphic designer, working for Branch Fellowship Church.

Outside of work, Peter was a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Agency (SFFA) of Arcadia University; the Branch Fellowship Church; the Freedom Community Church; and the Examples Young Adult Ministry. He was also the co-leader of Insight Bible Fellowship, and a member and creative designer for the Serendipity Players Puppet Team.

Peter is also survived by many close friends, who remember him as follows:

“Charming, funny, smart, whimsical, and sometimes cantankerous, Peter was above all else our loyal and trusted friend.

He loved his small family dearly, and loved his circle of friends like family too.

Peter adored his Mom’s home cooking (particularly her Christmas cookies) more than any other cuisine, but was also tempted by Mexican food, Indian food, anything made from potatoes, and big traditional American hamburgers.

He didn’t travel very far on planet earth, but together we explored endless imaginary worlds which we created during nights sitting around tables rolling up RPG characters, vanquishing monsters and making one another think while making one another laugh. He loved to read books and watch fantasy and sci-fi television programs, and together we excitedly awaited the premiere of each new nerdy blockbuster movie, happy to let the big screen whisk us away to stranger worlds.

Peter was inspired by the work and life of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, and was an artist in his own right who spent time drawing beautiful and humorous cartoons and assembling complicated structures out of Lego. He put his ample artistic and acting talents to productive use as a vital part of the church puppet team, entertaining both children and adults by writing scripts, voice acting, and puppeteering alongside his friends.

Christmas was Peter’s favorite season, snowfall his favorite weather pattern, and Christmas carols the music he most enjoyed listening to. On your birthday, you could count on Peter’s spot-on impression of Frosty the Snowman wishing you a strong and sincere “Haaappy Birthday!”

His favorite places were movie theaters, sunny fragrant beaches, mysterious deep woods, and any table where a game could be enjoyed among good friends.

Peter struggled his entire life with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and the pain it gave him, taking solace from it always in the love and faith he had in Jesus Christ, his Savior and Lord.

Peter loved to share his faith via debate about religion and the Bible, and in his apologetics he was always both a bulldog and a gentleman, determinedly seeking to prove his point while never raising his voice in anger nor giving any insult to a fellow debater. His wisdom and intelligence about his faith was an ongoing inspiration to his fellow Christians.

At the end, he quietly slipped free of a long beleaguered shell with one peaceful smile.

Our sorrow is now, but for him there is only freedom and joy for ever and ever onward.

We’ll see you soon, friend.”

Friends and family may gather Friday, July 27 after 1:30 p.m. in the Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home, 701 Derstine Avenue, Lansdale, and are invited to attend a celebration of Peter’s life at 2:30 p.m. Interment will follow in Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Prospectville.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Peter may be made to The Arthritis National Research Foundation at https://www.curearthritis.org/ ; Marina’s Kids at http://marinaskids.info/ ; or Ligonier Ministries at https://www.ligonier.org/ .

A few of Peter’s favorite quotes:

"The truth ain't like puppies -- a bunch of them running around, you pick your favorite. One truth -- and it has come a-knockin'." (Emerson Cod, 'Pushing Daisies')

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

"We live in an age of more knowledge and less wisdom." (Dennis Prager)

"...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have." (Gerald Ford)

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." (Antoine de Saint Exupéry)

"I trusted you with my email address, and you betrayed that trust by sending me Internet banality." (Sheldon Cooper, 'The Big Bang Theory')

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." (Ambrose Redmoon)