“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments but what is woven into the lives of others” – Thucydides
It is with great sadness that the family of Dr. Susan Watt announces her passing on Monday, February 21, 2022, after a lengthy hospitalization. Sister of the late Sheila Watt Oliver, she is survived by her nieces Tracey Oliver (Windsor), Susan Oliver (Toronto) and Kathleen Oliver (Burlington) and their families. Born in Windsor, Ontario and raised in Etobicoke, Ontario, Susan lived a life of academic achievement and professional accomplishment. She attended the University of Toronto, earning a B.A. in 1969 and an M.S.W. in 1971. After graduating with her master’s degree, she had a successful career as a medical social worker. Susan earned her Doctorate in Social Work from the School of Social Welfare at UCLA in 1977. Upon her return to Canada, she became a Professor of Social Work at McMaster University – teaching social work policy and practice, doing research and helping many others achieve their goals. She was involved in Save the Mothers, an organization dedicated to reducing mother and infant mortality in the developing world. Susan also excelled as an aunt and a friend. She was the person everyone turned to for help and support, which she gave generously. Over her lifetime, she built a family of friends from all parts of her life, whose company she enjoyed immensely and who gave so lovingly of their time and care when she needed it the most. The family would also like to thank the staff at St Joseph’s Hospital who were truly dedicated to her needs throughout.
A celebration of her life will take place on Friday, March 18, 2022, from 3 to 5 pm at The University Club of McMaster University, Alumni Memorial Hall, 1280 Main Street West. Please visit the university website for information about their covid policy.
Passed away peacefully at Hamilton General Hospital on February 21, 2022 in her 68th year. Left to remember her loving ways are her husband, Brian, son Steve (Jessica), daughters Sherri (Chris), Ashley (Jay). Her love of life, her grandchildren, Julie, Maggie, Dominic, Ally, Claire, Marcus, Devin and Anna. She will be missed for her loving smile and her love of life. She will be missed by many nieces and nephews, brother, in-laws, friends, and trailer park buddies. A graveside service for family and friends will take place on Saturday, February 26 at 10:30a.m. at Grove Cemetery, Dundas. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of your choice.
Passed away peacefully on February 16, 2022 at Joseph Brant in his 96th year. Beloved husband of the late Alexa (nee McKelvie). Loving father to Don (Karen) and the late Alastair. Caring grandfather to Kyle and Peter. Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date. Thank you to the staff at Bertram Place (Dundas) and at Joseph Brant Hospital. Donations, in memory, can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
It is with sadness that we, the family of Peter Dawson of Dundas, Ontario, announce that, at the age of 92, Peter passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 15th, 2022. Prior to his passing, he received exceptional compassionate care at Margaret’s Place – St. Joseph’s Villa, Dundas.
Peter was born on September 27th, 1929 in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England. On September 28th,1950, just one day after his 21st birthday and with only twenty English pounds in his pocket, he began his new adventure by emigrating to Canada to start the next chapter of his life.
He was initially employed by the Inco and Falconbridge nickel mines in the Sudbury, Ontario area. It was during this time that he met Pauline Derro. They fell in love and were married on October 30th, 1954. Peter was offered employment by Procter & Gamble Inc. in Hamilton, Ontario. He and Pauline settled in Stoney Creek and started a family, complete with sons John, Jeff, and Ken and daughters Angela and Paula.
Peter went on to gain 33 years of management experience with P&G, latterly as Manager and Corporate Coordinator of Environmental activities. Following his line management, he spent 20 years in the human resources field in training organisation development and employer-employee relations.
He chaired the Medical Postgraduate Consultation Committee by the Ministry of Health.
Peter was immensely proud when he represented Canadian employers as a member of the Canadian Delegation to the International Labour Organisation (I.L.O.) Conference at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland 5 times. He was assigned as the International Employer Vice-Chairman of the Vocational Rehabilitation Committee. He was assigned as the Deputy Canadian Employer Delegat and was made the Canadian Employer Delegate at the annual I.L.O. conference.
He received an Award of Merit from Mohawk College in Hamilton in recognition of his efforts in the field of industrial training in the community and province. He was appointed a member of the board of governors of Mohawk College and elected Chairman of the Board in 1986-87. Following this, he was appointed a member of the Ontario Council of Regents. He was awarded an Honorary Diploma in Governance and Leadership.
Peter was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
Sadly, Peter’s beloved wife Pauline succumbed to a long term illness and passed away in 1991.
Prior to his retirement in 2000, Peter was the executive advisor of the Dawson Consulting Group Inc.
For 26 years he wintered at Edgewater Village, Florida. He cherished his friendships with his fellow condo owners there and considered them to be his ‘second family’. Late in his life, Peter developed a loving relationship with Ruth Cuming of Stoney Creek. They travelled and spent winters at his condo in Florida. After Ruth’s passing in 2009, he remained involved with her family, especially her daughter, Donella, and her family.
Peter is survived by his sons John and Kenneth Dawson, his daughters Angela Dewit and Paula Sarraf, his granddaughter Sarina Sarraf, his great-granddaughter Ava Dewit, his grandsons Jordan Sarraf and Erik Dewit, his daughters-in-law Janice James and Yvonne Lynch, cousin Norman and Brenda Bell, as well as many loving nephews, nieces, and friends.
Peter was preceded in passing by his wife Pauline, his partner Ruth, his second son Jeffrey, and his sons-in-law Esam Sarraf and Fred Dewit.
All through his life, Peter strove to live by one rule that he believed we all need – the Golden Rule.
Peter’s remains were cremated. A ‘Celebration of Life’ ceremony will be held on Friday, May 27th, 2022, 4:00pm to 6:00pm, at the Turner Family Funeral Home Ltd., 53 Main Street, Dundas, Ontario, L9H 2P7. Phone: + 1 (905) 628-6412.
December 1, 1933 – February 12, 2022 Rudy’s kindness and quick sense of humour touched so many people in his 88 years. Growing up in Guelph, Ontario, Rudy honed his wit drawing cartoons for the Guelph Collegiate yearbook and spent summers scooping ice cream at the Royal Dairy Bar. His childhood was not without drama: One day in 1943 he slipped into the Speed River and was heroically rescued by an older boy named Johnny Bartok. They became close friends and, fortunately for all of us, Rudy’s story did not end there. He went on to study psychology at the University of Western Ontario and earned his Master’s degree at the University of Toronto, where he met Jane, who would become his beloved wife of 63 years. Following a stint at the Ontario Hospital in Hamilton, Rudy was hired in 1964 as a counselling psychologist at McMaster University, beginning a career at “Mac” that spanned more than 30 years. Initially, Rudy was the only psychologist serving 4,000 students. He persuaded the university to provide funding for additional staff and in 1968 the McMaster Student Counselling Service was born, with Rudy serving as director until 1985. In addition to providing thousands of students with personal and career support, the department was the source of lifelong friendships for Rudy. His commitment to improving the lives of students also extended to leadership roles in external organizations including the Ontario Committee on Student Affairs and the Canadian University and College Counselling Association. Recognizing his profound contributions to student life, in 1986 McMaster named him Dean of Student Affairs, a position he held until his retirement in 1996. Always putting the needs of students first, he was greeted with chants of “Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!” at speaking events. His legacy is recognized by awards including the Rudy Heinzl Award of Excellence, which has been presented annually since 1997 in recognition of an outstanding achievement by an individual who improves the lives of McMaster students. After retiring, Rudy enjoyed painting, volunteering on local boards, travelling, hosting a radio program at McMaster and relaxing at the family cottage in Southampton – a special place for four generations of Heinzls dating back to Rudy’s father, Roman, plus numerous cats and dogs (Rusty, Zoe, Sam, Max, Tom etc.) who were close to Rudy’s heart. Rudy is dearly missed by his wife, Jane, his sons Richard (Carrie), John (Michelle), Mark (Paula), and his grandchildren Ryan, Carson, Curtis, Amy, Jackson, Charlie and Mary Jane. As Rudy would say, “See you next time, if not sooner.” A private family remembrance will be held.
Peacefully at his home, on Friday, February 11, 2022, in his 71st year. Beloved husband of Christine (nee Allaby) and dear father of Douglas and Katie. Loving brother to Greg (Pat), Bev Westoby, Wendy (Dave) Brenn, Bill (Cindy), John (Kim), Glenn (Brenda), Shari Sonoda (Dave) and Jamie (Katherine). Predeceased by his parents Norm (1998) and Norma (1999) and his brother David (1997). Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Bob’s life will take place in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.
Peacefully at St. Peter’s Hospital on February 9, 2022, in her 94th year. Predeceased by her husband Jim. Betty will be sadly missed by her daughter Dianna, son-in-law Brent and granddaughter Elyse. Staff at Seasons Retirement home thank you for your kindness. An avid sports fan, she loved watching her Leafs, Ticats and Blue Jays. Donations may be made to Dr. Bob Kemp Hospice. Cremation has taken place. A private graveside service will be held at a later date in Dundas.
With love and gratitude, we say goodbye to our fun-loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She was affectionately known to many as Marg or Margie. She will be greatly missed by her daughter, Ann (Phil) Ruch; mother-in-law to Russ Powers (Betty Cartwright). Loving grandmother to Patricia (Jamie) Balardo, Scott Powers, and Jennifer (Clinton) Syrowitz, as well as 2 great grandchildren, Christopher and Sean Balardo. She is also survived by her sisters Grace Stutt and Erna Whetham, as well as many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her husband Irwin (“Tim”) Eaton (2008), daughter Linda Powers (2009) and siblings Jim (Alice) Hall, Lorne (AnnaMae) Hall, and Mary (Don) Warren. Special thanks are extended to Dr. Michael West, St. Elizabeth Health PSW’s, and staff at Amica Dundas, for their compassionate care. A private service has been held. Expressions of sympathy to the Alzheimer’s Society would be appreciated by the family.
Passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Villa in her 91st year on Sunday, February 6, 2022. Beloved wife of the late Gordon (2014) and predeceased by her brother Lawrence Bentley. Cherished mother of three sons and their wives; Doug and Cindy, Steve and Mary Jane and Gordon and Laurie. Loving Grandma to Michelle (Henrik), Julie (Graeme), Mike (Tammi), Jeff (Jen), Tyler (Jenn), Kody (Cassandra) and Kyle (Carling). Loving Great-grandma to Annika, Benjamin, Pierce, Hannah, Paige, Macie, Chase, Karsyn, Harper and Hayden. Many thanks to the wonderful staff on Valley Trail at St. Joseph’s Villa for their excellent care. Special thanks to Jason for allowing us to see Mom via FaceTime during the Covid lockdowns. A private family service will be held.
With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Helen Elizabeth Wright (nee Tarlton) at her home in Dundas, Ontario, on February 2nd after a brief illness. Left to cherish her memory are her beloved husband of 68 years, Robert J. Wright, her children Nancy Mann (Robert), Anne Wright-Gedcke (Mark) and Carolyn Parker (Jim), her grandchildren Heather (Greg), Ruth (Eric), Richard, Elizabeth, Barbara and Shauna, great-grandson Isaac and her beloved brother Ross Tarlton (Helen Kindree).
Helen was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the firstborn child of Ross and Helen Tarlton. She excelled in academics and completed a B.Sc. in chemistry at McMaster University in 1952. Although science was not a common discipline for a woman in these times, she had a short career as a chemist at Chalk River Laboratories in Chalk River, Ontario. She and Bob met at McMaster, where they enjoyed many dances and attending sporting events together. After her year in Chalk River, Bob and Helen married on August 8, 1953. After spending their first two years in Peterborough, where Bob began his teaching career, they moved to Hamilton, Ontario to be close to extended family.
Helen was very engaged in the life of her young family. She was a marvellous seamstress, and sewed many beautiful clothes for her girls, and several fashionable dresses for herself as well. She was active in the life of Binkley United Church, where she participated in the U.C.W. and their various activities for several decades.
Helen was “adopted into” a love of Muskoka by her beloved Bob. After several summers, they purchased land of their own and supervised the building of their dream cottage, completing much of the work with their own hands. She loved the swimming, boating and the beauty of Muskoka Lake. She and Bob enjoyed spending their summer holidays with their family in this beautiful, natural place. It has become a well-loved vacation spot and continues to be a place for ongoing family connections.
Helen was a person with a wide variety of interests. She was an active curler and an exceptional bridge player and enjoyed the friendships she shared in these activities. Once Bob retired, they shared many wonderful trips together, spanning the globe with their adventures. Helen was fortunate to share special friendships with a group of girlfriends from her primary school. These “Friends for Life” kept in touch even as they scattered across the country, connecting once a year to celebrate their joint birthdays and the joy of their life-long friendships. Helen also had an artistic side. She developed a small business making and selling beautiful silk scarves with Jean, her business partner and friend. In her later years, she developed an interest in watercolour painting and created many original paintings and cards.
Helen suffered her decline in health with much grace. Although back pain limited her mobility, she continued to attend church, concerts, and theatre productions as much as she could. When the time seemed right, Bob and Helen moved to retirement living at Amica in Dundas. Here they both continued to make new friends and connect with others they knew from the West Hamilton community. We are so grateful to the staff at Amica for the amazing support given to Helen in her final days. This was a wonderful gift to our family.
Due to covid restrictions, people are invited to participate in a visitation via Zoom on Tuesday, February 15th from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. The link for the zoom visitation can be accessed below. A private Memorial Service will be held following the zoom visitation and all are invited to view Helen’s Service by clicking on the Livestream link at 2:00 pm., which is also below. Rev. Lee Claus officiating.
To honour Helen’s memory, donations to Doctors without Borders or Sleeping Children around the World would be much appreciated. Helen has given us a lifetime of beautiful memories and we are thankful to God for her wonderful life – a life well-lived!
