Roy Porteous
October 03, 2018
PORTEOUS, Roy (Wilfred Leroy)
November 30, 1934 – October 3, 2018
The Ottawa RedBlacks and Ottawa Senators lost their #1 fan. Roy passed away on October 3, 2018 at 83 years of age after a very recent diagnosis of advanced pancreatic cancer.
Roy is survived by his best friend and wife, Kay (Kathleen Fennell) – married for 58 years after seven years’ courtship. Proud father of Peter (Donna Williamson) and Nancy (Diane Faubert) as well as six special grandchildren – CJ, Jake, Tanner, Amber-Dawn, Christian, and Josh. Predeceased by parents Wilfred and Lorena (Acres). Little brother to Dorothy (Dot) Kennedy (deceased), Lois McMaster and Bill. Roy had a special friend, CC, who spent every night with him on his lap watching sports. CC died this winter.
Roy was a man of action and a big contributor to the community. Always smiling and joking whether at the Rideau River, the Windjammer in Florida, or swapping stories with his car auction buddies.
Roy spent all 83 years on the same street in “downtown” Vernon. His career was focused on the family business – W.J. Porteous & Sons. Roy and Bill were 3rd generation in the family grocery/general store that was started back in 1900 (and later progressed to IGA and finally FoodTown). Roy was in Toronto studying electronics at Ryerson when his father had a heart attack and he returned to join the family business. At 18 a “butcher” he became (but in recent years, a friend pointed out that in fact he was a “meat cutter”)! When Roy and Bill sold the store in 1989 he wasn’t ready to retire. He worked for Drewery’s in Winchester for five years and then went on to Rideau Auctions where he and a good network of friends drove cars, sipped coffee, and swapped stories. He was there for 23 years and refused to retire!
There are several different versions about how Roy and Kay met but the version that Roy liked to tell was that he swept the girl, he had his eye on at WHS, off the streets of Winchester at the annual street dance.
Roy loved music. He grew up playing alto saxophone in the Cliff Wilkes Orchestra and loved big band music, including at the lighthouse on the Rideau. His love carried on attending many special performances including the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir.
Roy always fulfilled the Lions Club International motto – “We Serve” and contributed greatly to his community. He was an active member of the Lion’s Club for 57 years and a member of the Springhill Cemetery Board. He was on the original building committees of the Metcalfe & District Medical Centre and the Vernon Recreational Centre. You could also find Roy carving turkey each year at the church harvest dinner.
Roy loved boating on the Rideau and life at the cottage where he and Kay spent their summers for 58 years. Roy and Kay enjoyed Lauderdale-by-the-Sea for a few weeks each winter where they met many friends over the 35 years. Travel was a special treat and Roy and Kay got to enjoy many spectacular trips over the years. He also enjoyed golfing as well as curling at the Metcalfe Curling Club. Roy was known as “Mr fix-it” always tinkering and working on a to do list at home and anywhere else he visited.
His illness was brief but his mind was razor sharp at the end and he got to transfer knowledge (i.e., give instructions!), tease and joke, as well as reminisce about many terrific memories with family and friends.
A sincere thanks to the palliative care and 7 East teams at the Ottawa Hospital General Campus and to Dr. Merrett. A very special thank-you to Diane Faubert, Nancy’s partner, for all of her incredible support.
Family and friends are invited to pay their respects at the Daley Family Funeral Home, 6971 Bank St. (between Scrivens Dr. and Metcalfe Corner) on Monday October 8 from 2-4 & 7-9 pm. A Celebration of Roy’s Life will be held on Tuesday October 9 at 3 pm in the Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society Pancreatic Research, Osgoode Baptist and Vernon United Church, or OrKidstra orkidstra.ca/ (empowering kids through music) would be greatly appreciated.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Roy Porteous October 03 2018.
Décès pour la Ville: Metcalfe, Province: Ontario