Peter C. Cecil

March 3, 2016

Peter C. Cecil died peacefully on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at the Essex Center for Rehabilitation and Health Care. Peter, when asked what he did for a living, would say, “Wood is my life.” And indeed it was…. A cabinetmaker, he loved working with wood and created much fine furniture, stairs and custom woodwork both here in the Adirondacks and in Boston. In his few years of retirement, he realized a lifelong dream of building wooden boats. Peter was born and raised in Marshfield, Massachusetts, graduating from Marshfield High School in 1965. He moved to Boston, where he ran a bookstore and played in several bands, before beginning his career as a cabinetmaker. He moved to Westport, NY in the early 70’s where his son was born and then returned to Boston. In 1989, he returned to the North Country with his wife and settled in Elizabethtown, where he built a house and set up his shop in the barn on the property. When he wasn’t in the shop, he was out in the woods on his land, with his chainsaw and tractor. Walking in the woods daily with his dog and sometimes also with one of his cats, it was the trees that he noticed, pointing out what they were and which would be good ones for turning into logs and then boards for custom doors or windows. Peter’s Alzheimer’s gradually took him away and a few years ago he became a resident of Horace Nye/Essex Center, receiving excellent care from the dedicated and devoted staff of that facility. He is survived by his wife, Carla Hendrix and his son, Sam Cecil Zielinski. His life will be celebrated with a small family service at home. In Lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the North Country SPCA, where Peter volunteered walking dogs and where he adopted all of his pets. Arrangements have been entrusted to Marvin-Heald Funeral Home, 7521 Court Street, Elizabethtown. To light a memorial candle or leave an online condolence please visit www.healdfuneralhomeinc.com