Peter Firth

A Life Sketch of Peter Firth

Peter Jonathan Firth was born on December 20, 1952 at Santa Monica Hospital in Santa Monica, California to John Bennett Firth and Carolyn Little. Though his older brother James Richard Firth would rather have gotten a train set for Christmas that year, he got a little brother instead. At the time, Peter’s dad worked for North American Aviation designing cockpits for planes, ranging from the P-51 Mustang fighter plane during WWII to the US Space Shuttle. Peter was very proud of this fact, more so than his middle name, which he hated.

Peter grew up in Santa Monica, but once in a while got to travel to the east coast to visit grandparents in Tottenville, NY. At one point, his maternal grandparents, Jim and Carrie Little, came to live with him and his family.

Peter was truly a man of several talents, some emerging as early as age 10, when he took guitar lessons. (His first guitar was a gorgeous red Gibson SG Special Electric.) He ended up quitting formal lessons when they kept calling him Brad and wouldn’t give him a cord to use like the more advanced students, so he proceeded to teach himself to play instead, and quickly grew in his ability to play. During his youth, Peter joined a band named “Piece of Mind,” playing rhythm guitar. His bandmates were Dirk Dalton (lead singer and lead guitar), Jeff Holmes (bass guitar), Rich Burchell (drums), and Greg Adkins (keyboard). The band practiced in the Adkins’s basement and then played their music all over the area, including at Gazari’s on Sunset Strip, where they entered a battle of the bands competition and won. When they were told the news, thus earning the opportunity to play a gig there, they casually said, “We’ll have to ask our mommies,” as they were underage to play in a bar!

While growing up, Peter attended Franklin Elementary School and Lincoln Jr. High. When he was in 8th grade, he met his future wife, Vicki, and they started spending time together. At one point, they broke up, but Peter couldn’t get her out of his head, so he started talking to her again in 10th grade while they attended Santa Monica High (affectionately known as Samohi). Peter and Vicki’s first official date was to the Sargenette’s Ball.

During their years in high school, they decided to start a folk group, which included Peter, Vicki, her sister Valerie, Kathy Rose, Jaynee Moody, and Jeanne Hansen. They called themselves “Morning Sunshine,” and were well liked at the events they played. The group eventually broke up after graduation as band mates went their separate ways, but they each kept beautiful memories of that time.

High school was also a time when Vicki introduced Peter to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and invited him to listen to the missionary discussions at her house. During the summer of 1970, they took part in a church history tour together that lasted over two weeks. Peter had wonderful experiences, including visiting the Sacred Grove in Palmyra, NY, where his testimony grew. He said of his time there that “I decided I was going to go along to learn more about why this church made me feel so happy inside…The day we visited the Sacred Grove, I knew this was how I wanted to feel the rest of my life...I vowed I would join the Church.”

He wanted to be baptized, but his parents would not permit it. So when he finally turned 18, he decided it was time. The baptismal service was held on June 12, 1971, and he was baptized by his future “twin” brother, Jeffrey R. Cullison. (They liked to joke they were twins!)

A week later, he graduated from Samohi, proceeding to Santa Monica College, where he took photography classes from Pete Salutos. He grew to be extremely proficient in all aspects of photography, including developing and printing. His brother, Rick, was also doing photography, so they and their dad were able to create a darkroom in the back of the work room on the garage that both boys could use to develop their talents and pictures.

After a year at SMC, Peter transferred to BYU and roomed with his future brother, Dave Heighton. One night, Peter took Vicki to a concert on campus, then afterwards to the temple grounds, where he asked her to marry him! They were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple on September 8, 1973, and just recently celebrated their 52nd Anniversary.

After a honeymoon at Disney World, they settled into an apartment in West Los Angeles. It wasn’t long for the children to start coming, so they decided to live with Vicki’s mother, Pauline, who was glad to welcome them during that time. Noelle soon joined them on June 21, 1974, beginning a wonderful time of their lives together.

Peter and Vicki moved to Provo again so he could continue at BYU, where children, Justin and Shannon joined them. Then they moved back to Santa Monica and lived with his parents, welcoming Stephanie. Returning to Utah, they lived in a two-bedroom apartment with four children. During this time, Peter met Marc Reynolds, and they opened a photo studio together that they named Classic Images. Peter’s skills at photography continued to grow, where he was even able to participate in several photography shows at various venues.

In May of 1980, Peter and Vicki were finally able to buy a home in Magna, Utah for their continually growing family. Bennett (BJ) was born in November, then Hanna came along in November of 1983 (10 weeks prematurely), and Cory joined in October of 1985. They lived in that home for 41 years! Life was good as kids grew and became adults, eventually going off to school or moving out. Then on October 9, 2002, their daughter Hanna died after a procedure at Primary Children’s Hospital. Her death deeply affected Peter, as they had such a fun relationship.

During their life together, Peter loved to play his guitar to accompany Vicki’s singing at various ward or stake meetings. He also began playing at open mic nights at Magna Library after years of only concentrating on his photography. He learned to love playing music again, and stretched both he and Vicki with his song choices! At the yearly Magna Arts Festival, Peter loved to submit entries into the photo contest, which he’d win every time!

In 2019, Peter and Vicki decided that it was time to leave their split entry home in Magna and move to Herriman. In January of 2020, they bought a house and made the big move with their daughter, Shannon. They served in several callings in their ward, blessing especially the primary children with their testimonies and deep faith.

In April of 2024, Peter suffered a stroke that resulted in months of a lengthy hospital stay, rehab, and time at a care center. When he finally came home, they were not sure how things would work. But Peter persevered, eventually building up his strength enough to use a walker for getting around. He was so happy to be able to get out of the house at last, even though he was relegated to the position of passenger.

On Saturday, October 11th, on their youngest Cory’s 40th birthday, Peter suffered what is believed to be a massive stroke, passing away after many paramedics tried to revive him, but to no avail. Vicki is still reeling with emotions, but is certain of her eternal marriage with her beloved companion, departed but not gone forever. She has a testimony that he was greeted in heaven by Hanna, his parents, and many more who loved him! His spirit, love, and faith live on, as he prepares a place for his sweet wife until they are reunited again.
Peter is survived by his loving wife, Victoria Heighton Firth, his children: Noelle (Stephen) Jones, Justin (Shadea) Firth, Shannon Firth, Stephanie (Justin) Behling, Bennett (Melinda) Firth, and Cory( Tasha) Firth; grandchildren: Madison(Kaysen) Wilson, Lani, JJ, Jaiden, Cohen, Ashten, Taylor, Celeste, Carter, Riley, and Jonah; and two great grandchildren, Winnie and Iyla. Also brother, Richard(Judi) Firth, and many nieces and nephews.
Preceded in death by his parents, and daughter, Hanna.

Peter’s Testimony:

The first time I ever learned about the church, I was growing in Santa Monica, CA.

My Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Woody (along with their 2 adopted children, Bruce and Karen) would come and visit every summer, and I knew they didn’t belong to the same church I did (The First United Methodist Church), and my parents didn’t ever talk too kindly about the church they DID belong to.

But when they visited, I always noticed how loving and gentle they were to us and to each other, and I liked how I felt when they came to visit. I even went with them to church, where I first learned that we were eternal and got to live with Heavenly Father after this life.

I came to enjoy these visits (especially my Aunt Eleanor’s Lemon Meringue Pie she’d always make when they came!), and remembered the good feelings that I felt when they were visiting.

Later, when I was a teenager, my church had a month-long class where we studied and visited the other religions near us. One of the churches was a Visitor’s Center at the Los Angeles Temple in Westwood, CA. I remember how hostile/mean our youth leader (Dugg Walker) was to our guide there, and how calm and loving our guide was with us, patiently answering our questions and Dugg’s mean comments, which made me think about how I felt when my aunt and uncle were visiting my house.

During this time I was dating your grandma Vicki, and knew she too was LDS. I loved her very much and enjoyed going with her to church when I could.

In the summer between 11th and 12th grades, she was given the opportunity to go on a church history tour, where she was going to visit many church historical sites, such as the Hill Cumorah, Sacred Grove, Carthage Jail, and many other sites that are important to our religion. I decided I was going to go along to learn more about why this church made me feel so happy inside.

We worked, earned money through fundraisers, and finally had enough to go on the trip. I felt a little out of place, a Methodist kid among all of these LDS kids, but I quickly felt like I belonged!

The day we visited the Sacred Grove, I knew this was how I wanted to feel the rest of my life. To be surrounded by the beauty of the grove, to be among kids my own age who already this this Church was true, and the knowledge that a 14-year-old boy, not much younger that me, bravely came to this grove to honestly inquire of the Lord. I vowed I would join the Church, something I did a year later.

My parents weren’t happy with me. I came from a long line of Methodist preachers. But I knew in my heart that the decision I made that day in the Sacred Grove was the right one!