Published May 29nd 2013

Herb Berry
BERRY, Herbert Alfred. April 22, 1918 – May 20, 2013. Peacefully, at Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg, Ontario, Herb died in his 96th year. Beloved father of Jane Gutteridge (Barry) and Margaret Creighton (Paul), he was the proud grandfather of David Gutteridge, Michael Whitehouse and Steven Whitehouse (Aynsley) and great-grandfather of Paige Whitehouse. Born in Toronto, Herb served in the Canadian Army during WWII in England where he met his future wife Phyllis Louise (nee Adams) who predeceased him in 1998. Also predeceased by his brother Albert, his sisters Mary Grey and Maud, he is survived by his brother Jack and his sisters Lucy Craig, Violet Davis and Millie Pilote. A long-time employee of the Department of Social Services of the City of Toronto, Herb retired in 1980. He spent most of his last decade living in Cobourg, overlooking the lake he loved. Almost three years ago, he decided it was time to move to a retirement home where he soon settled happily. We will miss his passion for art and nature, his vitality and his wild sense of humour, and are thankful for all he taught us. Our family is very grateful to Dr. Essak and the staff of both the Northumberland Hills Hospital and Rosewood Estates for their kindness, care and compassion. Cremation has taken place. There will be no funeral, as Herb wished. His favourite charity was the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Online condolences may be made through www.MacCoubrey.com.

Carol Hoffman
HOFFMAN Carol of Brantford, passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Lifecare on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, after a courageous battle with cancer. Devoted and loving mother, grandmother and mother-in-law of Greg (Laura) Eyre and children Ryan and Shannon, Michelle (Rick) Miranda and children Samantha, Taylor, Daniel, Lisa and Rachel, Cris Eyre and children Brandon and Nicholas and Andrea (Shawn) Little and son Robert. Carol was the previous wife of the late Roger Eyre (1981), daughter of the late Harold (1966) Hoffman and Eleanor (Allman Hoffman (1977). Carol was a registered nurse who graduated 1957 from St. Joseph’s Hospital School of nursing. She worked in various fields of nursing throughout her long and fulfilling career. Carol was a volunteer for the Canadian Red Cross Society for many years and an active member of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Port Dover and more recently, St. John’s Anglican Church in Brantford. Carol was a loving, fun, loyal and devoted mother and friend with a very big heart. She loved nursing and caring for others and was always available to lend a helping hand or to aid someone in their time of need. She brightened the lives of those around her, with her sense of humour and refusal to give up no matter what. Despite her many health setbacks in recent years, she remained optimistic, cheerful and stoic to the end. She will be deeply missed by her many friends and loving family. The family wishes to thank the staff at St. Joseph’s Lifecare, especially the staff on Pine Trail, especially Dr. D. Allan, the nursing staff, the support Workers, the housekeepers and the kitchen staff for their care, support and dedication to making her life comfortable and happy. Mom lived at St. Joseph’s for less than one year and was made to feel like a member of a warm and caring family. For those wishing, donations to St. John’s Anglican Church, Brantford, the SPCA or Humane Society or Port Dover Volunteer Fire Department. At Carol’s request all services were private family, taking place Monday, May 27, 2013 at 11 a.m. Father Chris Travers officiated. Thompson Waters Funeral Home, 102 First Ave., Port Dover (519-583-1530) entrusted with the arrangements. On-line donations and/or condolences can be made at www.thompsonwatersfuneralhome.ca

Alf Long
LONG, Alfred Herbert. The family mourns the passing of a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather in his favourite chair at Anson Place Care Centre, Hagersville on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 in his 88th year. Alf Long of Port Dover is once again united hand-in-hand with his wife Irene (Renee, 2005). He leaves behind his three children; Joe (Bonnie) of Sebright, Cheryl (Merv) of Jarvis and Dan of R.R. #4 Simcoe; his grandchildren Shannon (Mathieu), Matt, Craig, Cori (Aaron Moss), Aaron (Heather), Tyler (Kate), Alex and Jessie; his great-granddaughters Darcy, Jayden, Charlee, Brynn and Bobbi-Jo. Also survived by his sisters Peggy Tremblay and Thelma Partridge and his brothers Robert (Jean) and Fred (Bernice) and his sister-in-law Shirley. Predeceased by his parents Craig and Elsie Long, and his siblings and their spouses Jim (Vi), Joe (Dot), Charlie, Mid, Phoebe (Doug), Fanny (Doan), Mabel (Walt), Norm Tremblay and Harold Partridge. Alf served in the Royal Canadian Navy in WWII and retired from the American Can, Simcoe, where he also managed the CanCo Credit Union for over 25 years. He was a proud member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #158 Port Dover and loved his lake and town. A Celebration of Alf’s life was held at R.C.L. Branch #158, 212 Market Street East, Port Dover on Sunday, May 26, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. Interment followed at Port Dover Cemetery. If desired, donations in memory of Alf can be made to R.C.L. #158 or the charity of your choice. Friends are invited to send condolences to the family at www.cooperfuneralhome.ca. Arrangements entrusted to Cooper Funeral Home, Jarvis, 519-587-4414.

Elaine Yerex
YEREX, Elaine (nee Haller) of Waterloo (formerly of Port Dover), passed away peacefully on Monday, May 27, 2013, in her 77th year. Precious and much loved wife of Patrick. Loving, devoted mother of Kathryn (John) Durdan, Andrew (Linda Crawford) and Jacob (Salah Bachir). Most proud Nana of Jack and Ben Durdan and Isis Yerex. Will be missed by her sister Ruth (Ted) Bowers, sister-in-law Jacqueline Clark and her nieces, nephews, and friends. Elaine was a graduate of St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing. The family would like to thank the teams at Grand River Regional Cancer Clinic and the Waterloo Wellington CCAC for their support which allowed Elaine to remain at home as long as possible and to Lisaard House Hospice for helping us preserve, in her final days, the quiet dignity with which she lived her life. Friends are invited to meet with the family to share their memories of Elaine at Thompson Waters Funeral Home, 102 First Ave., Port Dover (519-583-1530) on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. A Service to Celebrate Elaine’s life will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 1 p.m. at St. Paul’s Anglican Church (Chapman and St. George Sts.). Father Kendall Reimer officiating. Cremation to follow, with interment at Port Dover Cemetery at a later date. For those wishing, donations to Lisaard House would be greatly appreciated. On-line donations and/or condolences can be made at www.thompsonwatersfuneralhome.ca

Published May 22nd 2013

Helen Dunbar
DUNBAR, Helen: With the love of her family, at Norview Lodge on Tuesday May 14, 2013, of Waterford in her 87th year. Beloved wife for 56 years of Lloyd Dunbar. Loving mother of Mike (and Rebecca), Laura (and Ken) Rotchill. Cherished Grandma of Ben (and Danielle), Jessie, Nathan; and Charles. Dear sister of Shirley, Ken (and Lynn). Also survived by nieces and nephews. Predeceased by sister Ruth. Helen taught school at Port Dover Public School and Waterford High School. Family and friends were welcomed to a Graveside Service for Helen on Saturday, May 18, 2013, at Greenwood Cemetery at 11 a.m. Those who could not attend the cemetery were welcomed to join the family at Bloomsburg Baptist Church for a time of fellowship from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Rev. Andrew Emmott and Rev. Allan Burr officiated. Funeral arrangements entrusted with Thompson-Mott Funeral Home, Waterford (519-443-5332). In lieu of flowers, donations to Alzheimer Society or Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated by the family.  www.thompsonmottfuneralhome.com

Danny Lindsay
LINDSAY, Danny of Simcoe, passed away suddenly at his home on Thursday, May 16, 2013 in his 60th year. Dearly loved husband of Cheryl Ann.  Loving father and father-in-law of Keith and Melisa of Delhi, Daniel of Simcoe, Amanda and William of Delhi and Tiffany of Simcoe. Dear brother and brother-in-law of Cliff (Sonney) and Trish of Brantford and John of Workworth. He will be sadly missed by his many grandchildren and his 1 great-grandchild. Predeceased by his parents William and Bertha Lindsay and brothers, Jack, Jim and Bill. Danny enjoyed fishing, camping and berry picking. He was a hockey fan and loved watching the Maple Leafs. Family and friends are invited to share their memories of Danny on Thursday, May 23, 2013  for visitation from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. followed by a service to celebrate Danny’s life at Thompson Waters Funeral Home, 102 First Ave., Port Dover (519) 583-1530. Captains Stephen and Karen Holland officiating. Cremation to follow. For those wishing, donations to  Eastern Star would be appreciated. On-line donations and/or condolences can be made at www.thompsonwatersfuneralhome.ca

Margaret Sinclair
SINCLAIR, Margaret (nee Johnston) of Port Dover, passed away at Hamilton General Hospital on Sunday, May 12, 2013 in her 57th year. Cherished and loved mother of Amy Sinclair and her husband Paul McRae. Proud and loving grandmother of Nora and Kahlan. Dear sister and sister-in-law of Gillian Wilson (Johnston) and Allan, Sally Allan and Jim. Will be missed by Mich Sinclair. Predeceased by her parents Phil and Nora Johnston. Marg was born in Simcoe, but had a special place in her heart for Port Dover. Her much loved dogs Oh-den and Jade will miss her deeply. Her dogs were her best friends and her granddaughters were her life. Friends and family will always have fond memories of her incredible witty sense of humour and love of entertaining. Marg was a member of Zoo League at Victoria Curling Club in Hamilton for many years. A graveside service will be held to honour Marg’s life on Friday, June 7, 2013 at 3 p.m. at Oakwood Cemetery, Simcoe. A Celebration of Life in Marg’s memory will be held Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 4 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #158 Port Dover. Arrangements have been entrusted to Thompson Waters Funeral Home (519-583-1530) Port Dover. For those wishing, donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be greatly appreciated. On-line donations and/or condolences can be made at www.thompsonwatersfuneralhome.ca

Published May 15th 2013

The Honourable
Michael Douglas (Doug) Finley,
Senator
After a courageous public battle with cancer, the Honourable Michael Douglas (Doug) Finley died in Ottawa, Ontario, on May 11, 2013, age 66. He was married to the Honourable Diane Finley for over 30 years. Born in Exeter, UK on July 25, 1946, his parents quickly moved him to Scotland to ensure that he was “raised properly.” Doug attended the universities of Strathclyde, Edinburgh and McGill. He emigrated to Canada in the late 1960s. An avid soccer fan, particularly of Glasgow Celtic and Manchester United, he began his professional career at Rolls-Royce Canada in Montreal, where he quickly rose through the ranks to senior executive levels. He moved on to serve as President of Standard Aero, and Senior Vice President of AvCorp Industries. Later in his career, he worked as General Manager, and Chief Operating Officer of Fernlea Flowers in Southwestern Ontario. In 2003, Doug Finley was appointed Director of Political Operations of the Canadian Alliance by Stephen Harper after running the Perth-Middlesex by-election campaign. After the merger of the two national parties, he became a driving force behind Stephen Harper’s successful leadership campaign. In March 2004, Doug Finley was appointed Director of Political Operations of the newly-formed Conservative Party of Canada, and was the engineer behind the 2004 break-through in Ontario for the Conservative Party. He then successfully engineered and led the Conservative Party to victory through the 2006 and 2008 general elections as National Campaign Director. In August 2009, Doug Finley was appointed to the Senate, representing Ontario South Coast. He chose the regional designation of Ontario South Coast to reflect his particular interest in the area of southwestern Ontario along the north shore of Lake Erie. He was a member of numerous international boards and the recipient of many honours including Honourary Lifetime Member of the Ferry Command and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. He is survived by his wife Diane; his daughter Siobhan (George Desypris) of Montreal and three grandchildren, Willem, Erin and Emma; sister Maureen (Dave Todd) of Calgary; brother James (Shu-mei) of London and Singapore; his father-in-law and mother-in-law John and Muriel Dennis of Booth’s Harbour; two nieces and one nephew. Two memorial services will be held to honour his life and public service. The first will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at the Port Dover Community Centre in Port Dover, Ontario. The second service will be held on Monday, May 20, 2013 in Ottawa. A 6:00 p.m. reception, followed by the service at 7:00 p.m., will take place in the National Arts Centre Theatre. For those who wish to make a donation in recognition of the Senator, the family recommends the Canadian Cancer Society, the Conservative Party of Canada, the Ottawa Scottish Society or the charity of the donor’s choice. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at TheFinleyFamily@live.com

Published May 8th 2013

Al Collins
COLLINS, Albert Byron “Al” of Port Dover, passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton on Friday, May 3, 2013 in his 78th year. Beloved husband of Sandra. Dearly loved father and father-in-law of Dan and Melissa of London, Lorraine Martin and Bob of St. Thomas and Katie Hutchinson and Don of Simcoe. Loving grandfather of Justin (Paige), Jason, Kristy, Troy, Olivia, and Logan, great-grandfather of Lexi and Bailey. Dear brother of Weyburn of Port Dover. Predeceased by his parents George and Katherine and brother, Arthur. Al loved bluegrass music and spent many hours sharing it with other fans. He not only played guitar but also was a guitar maker. Al will be sadly missed by everyone that knew him. He will be fondly remembered for his great smile and friendly, outgoing nature. “Keep pick’n and grin’n”. Friends were invited to meet with the family to share their memories of Al on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (evening only) at Thompson Waters Funeral Home, 102 First Ave., Port Dover (519-583-1530). A Service to Celebrate Al’s life will be held Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 11 a.m. in the funeral home Chapel. Father Kendall Reimer officiating. Interment Port Dover Cemetery. For those wishing, donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be greatly appreciated. On-line donations and/or condolences can be made at www.thompsonwatersfuneralhome.ca

 Cindy Maxwell
MAXWELL – Sydney Marie (Cindy). Passed away in her 63rd year at the Norfolk General Hospital on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 after a battle with cancer. Much beloved daughter of Marion (nee Smith) and the late Bob Maxwell (1994). Dear sister of Don (Cathy) of Port Dover, Rich (Sherry) of Cambridge, Robin (Tom Nunn) of Kitchener, Leesa Harrington (Dave Podzorski) of Simcoe, and Kim (Gary Bacher) of Jarvis and was predeceased by her brother-in-law George B. Harrington (2008). Also surviving are her cherished nieces and nephews, Brennan (Heather), Nathan (Katie), Josh (Melanie), Amanda (Keith), Kaley, Jesse, Kevin (Lisa), David (Natalie), Kristie (Greg), Brad (Brittany) and Brooke, three grand-nephews, Aunts, Irene (Nin) Holman of Simcoe, Mary Smith of Vittoria, uncles, Dick Maxwell (Helen) of Port Dover and Leighton Smith of London and numerous cousins. Cindy was the Office Administrator for the Norfolk General Hospital Lab for over 37 years, an active member of St. James United Church and in the church choir, an involved member of the Simcoe Kinette Club and a member of the Quarter Century Club of N.G.H.  Friends were invited to meet with the family on Friday, May 3, 2013 from 2–4 and 7–9 p.m. at The Baldock Funeral Home, 96 Norfolk St. N., Simcoe. The funeral will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m. from St. James United Church, 150 Colborne St. S., Simcoe. Reverend Mary Jo Patterson officiating followed by cremation with interment at Woodhouse United Cemetery at a later date. Those wishing to donate in Cindy’s memory are asked to consider Cystic Fibrosis or a charity of one’s choice. Online condolences at www.baldockfuneralhome.com

 Edna Smith
SMITH, Edna Christine Victoria (nee Mintz) – (February 4, 1925 – May 1, 2013) Raise a glass in celebration of the life of Edna Smith … With great love and wonderful memories, the family announces the passing of Edna Smith on May 1, 2013 at the Norview Lodge Nursing Home. Beloved wife of 46 years to George Smith, she was widowed in 1992. She will be sadly missed by her children, Norman Wayne Smith (Lenore), Kate Bedding (Rick), Brent Smith (Annette) and two grandsons, Jedediah and Daniel (Jennifer). Edna, one of 11 children born to Lorne and Rosetta Mintz, is survived by her brothers Clem, Cecil, Ralph, Alvin, and sisters Melva, Theresa, June and Fern; predeceased by her sister and dear friend Aimie. Sister-in-law to John Varey and Harvey Greer. Edna was a long time resident of Simcoe and had a wonderful life full of many happy memories of family, friends and hobbies; even when Alzheimer Disease dimmed those memories, she loved listening to her Memory Book and reliving a full and happy life. During her 67 years in the Simcoe area, she was very active as George’s partner in Smith Sales. An important part of her life was participating in the Royal Canadian Legion, where she held numerous executive positions over 57 years in Branch 79 Ladies Auxiliary, rose to Zone Commander for Ontario Central Command, was honoured with Lifetime membership and the Meritorious Service award, and spent many enjoyable hours working in the kitchen, attending conventions, dancing on Saturday nights and playing cards with the girls. She was a volunteer at the Eva Brook Donly Museum and loved working at the front desk talking to the locals and meeting out-of-towners. With her husband George, she became fascinated by genealogy and recorded family history; they also traveled extensively to England to visit family and to many fiddle contests in their motorhome. Many friendships were formed through her involvement with the Lamport Club, Seniors Centre, Norfolk Violets, fiddle music contests, and St. Williams dances. Her happiest times were family get-togethers. Friends were invited to meet with the family on Sunday, May 5th, 2013 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Ferris Funeral Home, 214 Norfolk St. S., Simcoe (519-426-1314) where Edna’s service was held on Monday at 11:00 a.m. Reverend Mary Jo Patterson officiating. Interment to follow at Oakwood Cemetery. If so desired, donations to the Alzheimer’s Society or the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund would be appreciated by the family. A Legion Ladies Auxiliary memorial service will be said from the funeral home on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Online condolences may be made at www.ferrisfuneral.com A wonderful and loving wife, the best mother and role model, always full of enjoyment of life and willing to serve her community and country, a good friend to many. We will miss her so much.
“Unforgettable”

 Joyce Watson
WATSON, Joyce (nee Longhurst) passed away suddenly but peacefully with her loved ones by her side at the University Hospital in London on April 30, 2013 after a prolonged illness. Joyce was in her 84th year and was predeceased by her son Mark and her husband Eric. She is survived by her son David and his wife Fiona and granddaughters Maya and Elora. In honour of her final wishes, cremation has taken place in London with interment to follow at Port Dover Cemetery where she will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband, in the place that she loved most, Port Dover. As expressions of sympathy, donations may be made on Joyce’s behalf to the Canadian Diabetes Association. The family wish to extend their heartfelt appreciation to the staff at University Hospital, Oak Crossing and Grandwood retirement homes that provided such kind and compassionate care and support. Arrangements entrusted to Thompson Waters Funeral Home, Port Dover.