Parcourez la nécrologie de John Lewis Wilson August 29 1934
August 27 2024 résidant dans la province Ontario pour le détail des funérailles.
JOHN LEWIS WILSON
Died peacefully on August 27th at Matthews House Hospice in Alliston, Ontario two days shy of his 90th birthday. John is survived by his devoted wife of 61 years, Linda, his adoring daughters, Kelly (Robert) and Kris, and his cherished grandchildren, Keenan, Payton and Hayden. John will be deeply missed by his dear brother, Lloyd (Judy), sister-in-law Diane (Glenn), brother-in-law Len (Joan), close cousin, Bill (Caroline) and many nieces and nephews.
Born August 29, 1934, in the west end of Toronto, to Isabel and Howard Wilson, John was pre-deceased by his elder siblings, Douglas (Dorothy) and Jean (George). The four close-knit siblings enjoyed a childhood characterized by legendary pranks on unwitting babysitters, epic family gatherings – punctuated by card games and showtune sing-alongs – and vacations with extended family at Stanton House on Sparrow Lake.
As a young man, John displayed creativity and cleverness as a lyricist and punster, writing, directing, and acting in plays for the Knights of the Round Table (KRT), a young men’s fellowship group out of Islington United Church. The “KRT boys” became lifelong friends, meeting well into their eighties for group lunches and reunion weekends where they regaled each other with old stories, told anew.
Following graduation from Etobicoke Collegiate, John entered the engineering program at the University of Toronto. Soon after, a world beyond textbooks beckoned, and he set off to seek adventure abroad. John spent 18 months working for a family business in the U.K. — forging yet another lifelong friendship with its owners – and roaming Europe by train, scooter and by thumb.
John returned to Canada in 1960 and settled down both professionally and personally. He entered the family’s industrial refrigeration business, J.L. Wilson & Sons and, shortly thereafter, a well-orchestrated family matchmaking scheme introduced him to Linda Neil. On that first meeting, playing to the group of eager onlookers who had engineered the pairing, John got down on bended knee and asked Linda to marry him, facetiously. Two weeks later, he would propose for real and on April 11, 1963, he and Linda were married, embarking on a life dedicated to family, the family business, and the never-ending pursuit of rich experiences.
Alongside his elder brother Doug, John was the third generation to manage the family business, which engineered and installed refrigeration equipment to Ontario’s growing food processing industry. A natural salesman, John developed loyal and trustworthy customer relationships, through which major contracts were sometimes agreed to on a handshake.
Business was never more important than family, however, and John made a point of being home for dinner each evening and available for family vacations. A favourite destination the family discovered early on was Longboat Key, Florida, where he and Linda would purchase a condominium in the 1970s and ultimately spend winters in retirement, enjoying cocktail parties, dinner theatre and sports with a lively community of friends.
In 1981, John and Linda purchased a farm in the gorgeous Mulmur Hills which became another family hub. John often remarked that if he hadn’t gone into business, he would have been content as a farmer—so happy was he on his big red tractor or felling trees that never stood a chance against him with his chainsaw.
An enthusiastic golfer of limited skill but boundless good humor – 3PuttGuy was his chosen vanity license plate — John never let a poor score diminish his enthusiasm for the camaraderie of his many golfing groups. A highlight of his life was playing The Old Course with his father-in-law, Leonard Neil, on a family trip to Scotland in 1977.
It was fitting then that when John and Linda moved out of Toronto for their retirement years, they settled upon a golf course community just east of Alliston. In whichever community he lived, John contributed by serving on the board of directors of the condo corporation and cheerfully lending his handyman skills to any neighbour in need.
Having a sharp intellect, he was an avid reader of history, an amateur cruciverbalist—his crosswords were as tricky as his puns were quick – and a prolific writer of limericks and satirical poems for special occasions. John had an encyclopedic knowledge of the Great American Songbook, a skill that once helped him win prize money as a contestant on a British live-TV game show! With natural charm and a quick wit, he was also a sought-after choice as emcee for any event – though his humility made him a reluctant one.
More than anything, John was a family man of impeccable character, full of optimism, warmth and genuine kindness. He viewed strangers as friends just waiting to be met. He will be dearly missed by all who had the good fortune to know him. The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the caregivers and medical professionals who attended to him with dedication, compassion and consummate care. As expressions of sympathy, donations would be appreciated for Matthews House Hospice or Stevenson Memorial Hospital.
Arrangements entrusted to Drury Funeral Centre, Alliston.
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August 29 1934
August 27 2024
Décès pour la Ville:Alliston, Province: Ontario
avis deces John Lewis Wilson August 29 1934
August 27 2024
nécrologie John Lewis Wilson August 29 1934
August 27 2024
Nous offrons nos plus sincères condoléances à la famille et aux amis de John Lewis Wilson August 29 1934
August 27 2024 et espérons que leur mémoire pourra être une source de réconfort pendant cette période difficile. Vos pensées et vos mots aimables sont grandement appréciés.