GAVEL, John Carl
Age 72, Cole Harbour, did not awake at home on January 16, 2017 due to a heart attack and worsening emphysema. Born April 8, 1944 in Antigonish, he was the fourth of thirteen children of Mildred (Brow) Gavel and the late Arthur Gavel.
John left home at the age of 16 for Camp Borden, Ont. and the Army Service Corps. 31 years later he retired after a final posting to St. John’s Newfoundland. The highlight of his career was the three years he and surviving wife of 50 years Carolyn (Robertson), spent with the Canadian Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, visiting King Tut’s Tomb, playing golf in the shadows of the pyramids, and making lasting memories with new friends like boss, Colonel Stu and June Olsen. After retiring from the CAF, John happily “humped” cheese for Saputo Foods until mid 2004. If you needed someone to jump out of a Birthday cake in a Speedo, he was your man! John didn’t enjoy anything new. He revelled in other people’s junk, on the curb or at the flea market, where he usually got what he wanted for a quarter – a recycler ahead of his time.
John worked on and cussed all of his cars and endured the hikes to various service stations around the province to get a tow. He particularly enjoyed the challenge of repairing clocks and watches. When John and Carolyn sailed 420s with the Army/Navy Sailing Club, they won every race. Was it because John was an accomplished coxswain or because they weighed less than a seagull!?
He had an intense dislike for computers but recently warmed up to the Kindle from granddaughter Abbey. Like all the Gavels, he read thousands of books. Unlike all the Gavels, he kept every single one! Fishing trips with his brothers at Ken and Donna’s Northern NB camp were eagerly anticipated. He enjoyed paddling around a lake and the quiet of dropping a line for hours at a time. I think it gave him the opportunity to smoke without hearing about it!
Besides his mother, he is survived by his sons Ben and wife Alina (Wilmshurst), grandchildren Oliver and Abbey – Singapore, and son Justin and wife Marie-Hélène (Renault) – Cole Harbour. John’s siblings Budd (Mae Gannon) – Sackville NS, Allister (Renate) – Comox, Ken (Donna) – Antigonish, Jane Rhynold – Edmonton, Charles (Eileen) – Antigonish, Brenda (Laurel) Whitehead – Winnipeg, Cathy (Bernie) Veness – Calgary, Leo (Cindy) – Windsor, Mary Haley (Dave Neibergal) – Yorkton, sister-in-law Tootsie (MacEachern) Gavel – Antigonish, along with many kick-ass nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Besides his father, he was predeceased by brothers Edward and Arnold and sister-in-law Helen (Thacker) Gavel, and sister Carroll Balfour.
The clock of life is wound but once, and no one has the power,
To tell just where the hands will stop, at late or early hour.
The present only is our own, so live it with a will.
Place no faith in “tomorrow”, for the clock may then be still.
Cremation has taken place. There will be no Visitation or Funeral Service at John’s request. Burial at a later date in Osborne Cemetery, Shelburne County.
Donations in his memory may be made to the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.coleharbourfuneral.com

Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de John Gavel
January 16, 2017.source

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avis deces John Gavel
January 16, 2017- avis mortuaire John Gavel
January 16, 2017