Peter Gerard Theban passed away on October 17, 2016, surrounded by his family, in the comfort of his home. He was diagnosed with Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer in early September. And although the disease took his life, the legacy he leaves behind far overshadows his sickness.

Pete was born on December 17, 1951 in New York, New York. Weighing only a little over 3 lbs., he was baptized as "baby Theban," at birth, because the doctors were afraid he would never make it home from the hospital.

Pete, with his older brother Ted, his younger brother Joe, his mother Rose and his father Jerry, moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in the early 1960s for his father's job at American Airlines. There, he attended Bell Middle School and East Central High School before attending Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

Pete graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Health & Physical Education, and eventually went back to school to obtain not one, but two masters in Education: Guidance & Counseling and School Administration.

Pete's teaching career began at St. Anne's Catholic School in Broken Arrow. He taught middle school from 1975 to 1980. Pete left St. Anne's to begin working for Operation Aware, a drug delinquency prevention program, which educated students on the dangers of drugs and alcohol – a cause in which he was particularly passionate about. During his tenure with Operation Aware (1981-1986) he had the privilege of meeting and talking with Nancy Reagan in Tulsa about their shared passion, the "war on drugs."

Much of the curriculum Pete used at Operation Aware was carried over into the messages he taught his students for the remainder of his career. These messages eventually won him the Blue Ribbon School Award in 1989 while he was Principal at Monte Cassino, where he worked for 20 years. After winning the award, Pete was selected by the United States Department of Education to serve as a Review Panelist/Site Visitor for the Drug-Free School Recognition Program for the following year.

Pete spent the remainder of his career at Marquette Catholic School, from 2006 to 2016. At Marquette, he helped implement the RISE program, or Religious Inclusive Student Education, which provides support to students with disabilities and other special needs.

Although Pete has had a tenured career in the Catholic Community for more than 40 years, he was also a loving father, husband, brother, uncle and friend. Anita, his wife of 35 years and his daughter and son, Abbey and Nick, continue his legacy, along with his two brothers and his numerous nieces and nephews.

Pete was loving and gentle, with an adventurous spirit. His family describes him as "a kid at heart." He loved sledding – more than any kid, and enjoyed playing baseball and sports with his children. His patience and empathy made him a tremendous father and role model to his children.

He will be greatly missed by many.

To honor Pete's memory, donations can be made to the Marquette RISE Program or the St. Francis of Assisi Tuition Fund.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, October 27, 2016, at Holy Family Cathedral, with a reception to follow in the Marquette Catholic School gymnasium.

FITZGERALD IVY CHAPEL, 918-585-1151.