December 20, 1926 – November 28, 2016
LENNIE, Robert Martin -December 20, 1926 – November 28, 2016 – After one long, hard, last battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, Bob died peacefully at St. Joseph’s Villa in Dundas, surrounded by family. Survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Jean, and their children, Ian (Lyne), Bruce (Sydney) and Alison. He was the proud and cherished grandfather of Aidan (Gabrielle), Leif and Nina; Kristina and Andrew; Sarah, Patrick and Georgina. And the slightly astonished great-grandfather of Lars. The only child of Reta L. (nee Jerome) and John D. Lennie, Bob was born in the Casa Maria Maternity Hospital (St. Joseph’s Hospital), Hamilton and raised in Dundas, where he would reside for over 88 of his nearly 90 years. Bob attended Dundas Public School and, during 1939-40, Ottawa Senior Public School. He left Dundas High School to work as a labourer at the Dundas Quarry of Canada Crushed Stone. Eventually he progressed to salesman, then Sales Manager, and to Vice President, Marketing & Sales with the parent firm Steetley Industries. He served as President of the Aggregate Producers Association of Ontario in 1977-78. Bob had lifelong enthusiasms for horses and for sports, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in particular. He and friend Jack Woodley coached the Dundas High School boys’ basketball team to a COSSA championship in 1956. He was a continuous member for over 50 years of both the Dundas Valley Golf and Curling Club and the YMCA, participating in hundreds of weekday noon-hour fitness classes at the Hamilton Downtown Y. He was a longtime Rotarian (awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship in 1992) and served on the Dundas Board of Park Management for several years (as Chairman in 1967-68). He was a lifelong member of St. Paul’s United Church. Through his work as a “rock pedlar”, as well as these many other pursuits, he and Jean made many lasting friendships. At his core Bob was a Dundasian, though he never used the word. The boys who were his friends in his youth – the surrogate brothers with whom he played lacrosse, basketball and football – remained his closest friends for life. Jake and Ron Knowles, Norm Westoby, Len Couldrey, . . He was the last of them. The family would like to thank the staff at the Orchid Garden, St. Joseph’s Villa for their kind, patient and attentive care. Cremation has taken place. The family will receive friends at the Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main St., Dundas on Friday, Dec. 2, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Funeral service will be held at the same location on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 11:30 a.m., with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, 20 Eglinton Avenue West, 16th floor, Toronto M4R 1K8 or the Hamilton Downtown Family YMCA, 79 James Street South, Hamilton L8P 2Z1 would be appreciated.
We share many wonderful memories, including our fantastic trip to Scotland where we all helped Bob navigate the “round-abouts” & “lay-bys” What a great guy, & a true friend to The Knowles Brothers.My heartfelt sympathy to Jean & family
Bruce and family. Our heartfelt condolences to all of you. Bob had a way of lighting up a room whenever we saw him. May he rest in peace. Love Paul, Monika, Melissa and Erin. Xoxo
A wonderful friend, Rotarian, sportsman and resident of Victoria Street. I followed Bob’s community involvement, high school sports and often spoke to him about at the Ticats. He was instrumental in helping me being awarded the commission to design the addition to the Steetley Office Building on #2 Sideroad in Burlington. Thanks Bob. He was a friend of all the Lennard families.
God Bless him and Good Bye, but never Forgotten.
Sincerely, Harry Lennard, Architect
Our condolence for your loss of your father
It was honor to call Bob a friend. Our family was blessed to move in next door to Bob and Jean. They welcomed us to the neighborhood with open arms. It was their dedication to their gardens and home, that inspired my wife Dawn and I to take up gardening as a couples hobby. Bob and I would meet in the yard and chat often, he had great knowledge of the community and shared many stories with me of his time in Dundas. Thanks for your inspiaration Bob, I will think of you often while working in our garden. Deepest sympathies to Jean and family.
Rob & Dawn Sneyd
I knew Bob thru banking and the Dundas Rotary.. A lovely man, leaving many wonderful memories!
I remember Bob, the basketball coach, as a player of limited ability, but well practiced at riding the bench. Bob was the ideal person to create a team from a collection of talented youth and then leading them. The last time I remember enjoying his presence was a friendly game of golf at Dundas Valley where I had caddied, worked the back shop and the front desk of the pro shop, and later as a club member. As a teacher, I had the opportunity to coach a basketball team in an elementary school in Burlington, a team that learned the fast break from the same drills I learned from Mr Lennie. Although I never had the privilege of meeting his family members, it is my hope that this testimony will be seen as a reflection of the thoughts and feelings of many others who learned important life lessons from him, on and off the court, even on the bench!
Please accept my deep sympathy in your loss
I did not know Bob all that well as there was quite an age difference. But I will never forget the support he gave me in my first endeavours at coaching football in the Hamilton Minor Football program in the 60’s. He had an infectious personality; truly a nice man.