Obituary

John grew up in the small town of Onaping where his father was a land surveyor for Falconbridge and his mother was a teacher. His childhood was spent exploring the Northern Ontario countryside with his Dad and siblings, skiing at the local ski hill and visiting the Medley family cottage near Kearney where he learned how to fell a tree and shoot partridge. He met one of the loves of his life, his wife Jude Dowling, at Leeds University in England. He brought her back to Canada as a souvenir in 1981 when he became a professor In Mechanical Engineering at the University of Waterloo. The other love of his life was his daughter Jennifer whom he educated in the delights of roughing it in the bush. John was very proud of Jennifer’s achievements. Just before the Covid epidemic, John and Jude bought a backwoods camp near Sault Ste Marie and spent the last few summers there enjoying their piece of the beautiful Canadian Shield. John’s last visit to his piece of paradise was Thanksgiving 2023 shortly after his diagnosis of gastric cancer. John always fought good and hard in tough situations and usually won but the cancer defeated him. He died peacefully at Groves Hospital in Fergus with Jude and Jennifer by his side. Donations in John’s memory may be made to the Aboyne Rural Hospice, the Oncology Unit at Groves Hospital or the Guelph Humane Society.  Arrangements entrusted to Graham Giddy Funeral Home (280 St. David St. S. – 519-843-3100). Visit www.grahamgiddyfh.com for John’s memorial.