John Stuart Park

John Stuart Park

(1940 – 2021)

On Saturday September 25, in hospital, John Stuart Park passed away from complications of congestive heart failure, after 82 years of a good life.  Survived by his beloved life partner and wife Sheila Marguerite Givens and his sister Alison Ann Park Black. Also survived by cousin Peter Sampson and cousins in Scotland, England and Canada. Predeceased by his parents Jessie Marie (Lowther) from Ingersoll and William Patterson Park born in Scotland and emigrating to Canada as a young man.

Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, John graduated from Ryerson University in metallurgical technology. For most of his career he worked as a technical consultant for Ford Motor Company in Windsor & General Motors in London Ontario. In later years he also provided young driver training in Muskoka.

As a teenager John worked in the summers at Billie Bear Lodge in Muskoka, and fell in love with the area. This led him to eventually buying a log cabin on Dotty Lake Huntsville just north of Billie Bear. He spent his weekends there while working in London, and eventually retired to live there for many good years. When maintaining the property became too difficult, he moved to their lovely home in Settler’s Ridge in Huntsville.

John loved nature and boating, enjoying all that Muskoka had to offer, swimming off his dock, canoeing Dotty Lake as well as lakes in Algonquin Park. He was an avid cross-country skier for many years, often skiing down frozen lakes and roads in the area. John also loved collecting antiques, barbequing, and spending time with good friends.

For many years he was a member of the Lake of Bays fire department at the Interlaken Station, serving as a community member and assisting with fighting house and forest fires in that area of Muskoka.

John’s interest in scuba diving led him to become an ACUC certified scuba diver, after taking many courses. He especially enjoyed scuba diving in places like Cozumel and Cayman Islands. John and Sheila usually took winter vacations down south in the sun, to places like the Bahamas, Aruba, Cuba, and Mexico.

As a member of the Huntsville Pistol Club, he enjoyed target shooting, as well as occasional grouse and turkey hunting.

Gregarious and big-hearted, John enjoyed socializing and making friends. He loved good food, especially seafood, steak and desserts. He was a good dancer, and an avid reader. One of his hobbies was ham radio.

He treasured the company of his beloved dog Boo, who is forever his companion in spirit.

In his later years, he and his wife Sheila were active birders, making holiday trips to Point Pelee and Long Point bird migration paths.

Over the many years, John was an active member of the St. Paul’s Pioneer Anglican Church, involved as a parishioner and other roles and fellowship. Although the church has been moved, he will be interred in the St. Paul’s Anglican cemetery.

After stages of diabetes and heart failure, his health deteriorated to the point of not being able to be active, other than trips to their treasured cottage near Powassan from time to time. He died of complications of congestive heart failure on September 25.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, September 30, 2021 in 30 minute increments beginning at 11:00 a.m until time of service in the funeral home chapel at 1 p.m.  Please RSVP below.  In keeping with restrictions mandated by the Province of Ontario and the Bereavement Authority of Ontario, social distancing of 2 meters, facial covering and contact tracing will be strictly adhered to.