Feb. 19, 1918 - May 30, 2009
Hugh passed peacefully from this life in his 92nd year at 100 Mile Hospital. He was predeceased by his father Clarence John, his mother Annie Laurie, his brother Archie, his daughter Nancy and his sister Helen Balson (the late Allan).
He will be deeply and sadly missed by his wife of 68 years, Mary; his children: Sheila Gannon and her partner Malcolm Loyst, Richard (Janice), and Michael (Linda); his sister Dorothy Lodge; grandchildren: Sean Gannon (Jenni), Roxanne Draper, Alexandra Smale and four great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Many nieces and nephews ‘back east’ and their children will miss him as well.
Hugh was born on the family farm in Darlington township, county of Durham, close to the town of Bowmanville, Ontario and grew up in that area. Hugh’s Dad died when he was ten, so he learned early what real work was. He met Mary in 1939, in summer school at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, where they were preparing to be teachers. They were married on August 16, 1941 in Frankville, Ontario. Mary worked in a tannery while Hugh attended university. Upon graduating from Queen’s with an Honours BA. Hugh went overseas and was demobilized in 1946 as a Sergeant in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corp. After the war, they settled in the Ottawa area, where they raised the family. Unfortunately their last child, Nancy, died in infancy. Hugh joined the federal public service and was an economist for most of his 33 years ‘in harness.’
Even before retirement Hugh was an avid gardener and spent most of his time out in the garden or tending the lawn and trees. He was also a voracious reader. He truly loved watching the Montreal Expos and the Toronto Blue Jays on TV and virtually any form of North American football.
Hugh and Mary moved to 100 Mile House, B.C. in 1998 to be closer to Rick and Mike and their families. Folks in both Heart’s Desire, Ontario and 100 Mile House will know him as the ‘walking man’ or the ‘wood man’ for all the time he spent walking the local highways and byways or bucking and splitting wood in the yard, which he did into his nineties.
Dad hated any kind of fuss, so there will be no service at his request. In lieu of cards or flowers, donations may be made in Hugh’s name to a charity of your choice.
“Enjoy those permanent box seats, Dad.”