Obituaries & Condolences

It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Robert “Bob” Alexander McKee on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at the age of 81, in London. Loving father of Sherry McKee (Frank) of Connecticut, Christine McKee (Gus) of London and Shelley McKee (Rob) of Calgary. Cherished grandfather of Michael and Morgan. Bob was predeceased by his sisters, Deanna and Marjorie, and brothers Don and John, and survived by many nieces and nephews. Bob was retired from Labatt’s and enjoyed golfing, playing cards at the local legion and ‘puttering about’. Bob was a handyman and always enjoyed helping out friends and family. Bob suffered from Lewy Body Dementia for the last several years. The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff at McCormick Home for the wonderful care they provided to him. A private family service will take place at a later date. Bob’s final resting place will be his favourite fishing spot in Georgian Bay. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, 20 Eglinton Avenue West, 16th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M4R 1K8. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

WHITFIELD, Bradley James “Brad”….

Peacefully on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at Victoria Hospital, London, Brad passed away 3 days before his 54^th birthday.  Loving partner of Diane for 3 years.  Dear father of Owen, Zachary, Aaron and Peyton. Cherished brother of John, Rob and Frank.  Brad is survived by many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by his parents John and Margaret.  Brad will be missed by many extended family members and friends. Brad was always very fond of animals having many furbabies throughout his life.  He liked watching many different sport teams including Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Cowboys, Toronto Blue Jays and the London Knights. Brad and Diane would enjoy watching wrestling together. He was a down to earth, fun-loving man, who had a heart of gold. Cremation has taken place. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex,  519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

CHIDIAC, John…

With great sadness, we announce the passing of John E. Chidiac.

On the morning of Monday, May 30, 2022, he died peacefully while holding the hand of his cherished wife of 65 years, Elsbeth (née Döppert).

John was the beloved father of Barbara Ann (John) of Waverley, ON, Peter (Jennifer) of London, ON, and Gerald of Prince George, BC.

He was the grandfather of Carla, Anna, Robert (Alexa), William, Sara (David), Steven (Hailey), Sean, Madeline, Bianca, Kevin, Kellie, Jaron (Elise), Josef, and Mary, and the great-grandfather of Calvin and Maddox. He was the uncle of John (Adrienne), Frank (Helen), Mary Jo, Mary Claire (Greg), Margaret (Mike), Jeanne (Peter), Eileen (Michael), Cathy (Ken), Donna, Norman, Mark, Michael, Lisa (Bill), John (Felicia), Jim, and Amy.

John was born in Paterson, New Jersey, USA on May 2, 1933 to Syrian immigrants Naim and Amina (née Bastori) Chidiac. John is pre-deceased by all eight of his siblings, Eleanor, Salim, Mary, Janet, Pearl, Anthony, Buddy and Norman, as well as his nephew Norman Iozzio.

John lived life to the fullest and believed in the innate goodness of every person. He understood a principle often forgotten in the world today, that one can disagree with someone and still love and honour them as a sacred human being. He was a lifelong learner, and he loved a hearty meal, a healthy debate and a good joke.

He spent his career as an executive with Massey-Ferguson, Canada Wire and several other corporations, but was a philosopher at heart. During his retirement he focused on doing good for others. He enjoyed volunteering for the Knights of Columbus, the Dorothy Ley Hospice and other charities, and he brought much joy into the life of every member of his close-knit family, especially his grandchildren.

John was the model of a life well-lived. He was filled with love and kindness, and he left the world with a legacy of goodness, decency and respect.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held on Friday, June 10, 2022 at 1 pm, with a Funeral Mass to follow at 2 pm at St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica, 196 Dufferin Avenue, London. Private inurnment in St. Peter’s Cemetery, London.

Donations in memory of John may be made to the Dorothy Ley Hospice, 220 Sherway Drive, Etobicoke, ON M9C 5N6, or the Covenant House Toronto, 20 Gerrard Street East, Toronto, ON M5B 2P3. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

COCHRANE, Brian……..

Surrounded by loved ones at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance on Monday, May 30, 2022 in his 73rd year. Beloved husband of the late Carole Cochrane (2020). Dear father of Vicki (Pete) and Erik (Julia). Loving grandfather of Noah, Josh, Tegan and Hayden. Brother of Patricia Peters (Gary). Predeceased by his parents Ronald and Catherine Cochrane. Beloved Uncle of Alicia Smith (Darrick), Lindsay McQuiggan (Brent). Beloved great uncle to Hunter, Hudson and Sydney.
In keeping with Brian’s wishes, there will be no formal funeral service. Cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Brian may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, 1200-2300 Yonge Street, Box 2414, Toronto Ontario, M4P 1E4. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

PISARSKI, Michelinne…..

Suddenly at Victoria Hospital, London on Sunday, May 15, 2022, Michelinne passed away at the age of 63. Loving mother of Susan Carroll, Scott Carroll and the late Tammy Carroll (2017). Cherished grandmother of Jamie Carroll, Emily Carroll, Hailey Carroll, Damien Carroll and Sebastian Carroll. Great Grandmother of Feenyx Carroll, Desmond Carroll. She will be missed by her furbaby Gator. Michelinne was a loving and caring mother, grandma and great grandma who enjoyed spending all of her holidays with all of us, her favourite holiday was Christmas. She always enjoyed watching all the kids opening their gifts but also liked all the good food and family time. Michelinne had a love for shopping whether it was in a store or at one of the local festivals were you would often find her buying one of her band t-shirts that she loved to wear. She was well known for her great sense of humour, always making others laugh and having a good time. She loved to dance and listen to good music. When her kids were younger, she often enjoyed sharing her love for painting ceramics and making crafts with them which she was very good at. Michelinne was an amazing lady with a big heart and will be deeply missed by all her family and friends. Cremation has taken place and at this point no service will be held. In memory of Michelinne, donations may be made to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 534 Queens Avenue, London, ON N6B1Y6. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

Norton, Dr. Peter…

1942-2022

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Dr. Peter Robert Norton on May 10th 2022 in Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario at the age of 79. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Gillian, his son Michael and daughter Kathy, his granddaughters Erica, Naomi, and Emma, and by his sister, Juliet.

Peter was born in a small village in war-time England to parents Robert and Ruth Norton. He attended the University of Nottingham and obtained a B.Sc. in 1963 and a PhD in Chemistry in 1966. He and Gillian travelled to Ottawa in 1967 intending to spend just two years there to further his research career. They both fell in love with life in Canada and lived in Ontario for the next 55 years. His research career took him from the National Research Council, Ottawa, to McMaster University, Hamilton, to Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories and finally to Western University in London where he was a professor and research scientist from 1986 until his retirement in 2011. His scientific career was important to him, and he took rightful pride in recognition bestowed on him by the likes of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Chemistry. His real passion, however, was mentoring students and young professionals and he drew great pleasure from watching their success.

In 1991 he and his wife bought an old wooden cottage at Bruce Beach near Kincardine on the waterfront of Lake Huron. In 2000 they built a house on the site and he and Gillian retired there. The Bruce Beach house was truly his happy place and he loved walking the beach and the wonderful views of the lake and sunsets from the deck, preferably with a drink in hand and surrounded by the company of family and friends.

Peter embraced Canadian winters and loved skiing and snowshoeing on the Niagara Escarpment in the Collingwood area.  When home he was a lover of classical music, especially chamber music. His music collection evolved from vinyl, to CDs, to streaming, and he attended live concerts whenever possible. He had a passion for sports, particularly soccer and F1 Racing, and he still followed the FA cup and UEFA Champions league from England.

He was intensely proud of his two children and their accomplishments and delighted in his 3 granddaughters who live in Edmonton and Vancouver. He made the most out of every visit and followed their exploits.

Peter was cultured, intelligent, curious, and kind. He was a great story-teller and raconteur and could entertain friends and strangers alike with humorous anecdotes and explanations of scientific phenomena. He loved good food, good drink, and good conversation. Astronomy was another passion of Peter’s, and sometimes an evening’s entertainment ended with stargazing over the lake through his telescope. Peter was a big personality who made an impression on every room he entered.

He will be greatly missed.

No service is planned at this time. A celebration of his life may be arranged in future. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

PLEASENCE, John Beverly…

John passed away in his home in London, with family by his side, on Thursday, May 5th, 2022, in his 80th year. Predeceased by his wife, the love of his life, Charlene (nee Dent) Pleasence and by his parents Joe and Clarice Pleasence of Chatham. Loving father of Alicia Pleasence (Ben Cekuta) of Toronto and Lara Pleasence (Chris Jones) of Montreal. Proud and supportive Grandfather to Pasha and Toren of Montreal. Beloved brother-in-law of Michael and Edna Dent of Chatham. Adored uncle of Sean, Shellee and Shannon. A close and devoted companion to Sheila Rideout.

Born in Chatham in 1942, John grew up in the hospitality industry working in his family’s hotels – The Rankin and The William Pitt. He attended Michigan State University then continued his career with Commonwealth Holiday Inns moving up the ranks to Senior Vice President.

He loved spending time at the family cottage in Rondeau Park, where he enjoyed boating and fishing. Even when he left the hospitality industry, it never left him. Being invited to eat at John and Charlene’s was like dining at a Five Star restaurant serving up multiple courses with accompanying wines, on beautifully set tables – which was always a trademark of John’s. He was also known for his plaid shirts and his love of ironing “everything” including his jeans, to ensure a perfect crease. He and Charlene loved their years traveling North America by motorhome and cruising various parts of the world.

After the loss of his wife, his daughters are so thankful for the love and support that he found with Sheila Rideout, who helped renew his zest for life and travel.

John was a gentleman and a “gentle man” whose kindness and consideration for others made a huge impact on everyone he met. He will be greatly missed and in keeping with his wishes, cremation has taken place.

A Celebration of Life will be held at “Shelly’s Tap & Grill” located inside the Best Western Lamplighter Inn, 591 Wellington Road, London, Ontario on Monday, June 6th, 2022, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm.

As an expression of sympathy, donations in memory of John can be made to The Breast Cancer Society of Canada, 420 East Street North, Sarnia, ON N7T 6Y5. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

McINTOSH, Betty Ann…..

Peacefully at Parkwood Hospital on Monday, May 9, 2022, Betty Ann McIntosh of London passed away at the age of 81. Beloved wife of the late Al McIntosh (2019). Loving mother of Sean (Sherri) and Shane (Nicole). Proud Gram of Kayla, Kyle, Payton, Kendra, Parker, Malorie, and Shaylee. Predeceased by her best friend Pat, who she cherished all the lifelong memories she shared with her. For 60 years Betty Ann was a wonderful wife and caregiver to her husband Al. Betty Ann was a wonderful mother, grandmother, she enjoyed taking her sons to their sporting events and devoted her life to her family. She enjoyed her time working at University Hospital in Housekeeping. The family would like to thank all the staff at Parkwood Hospital for kindness and care provided. She will be greatly missed. Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to Cremation London & Middlesex 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

SHEWCHUK, SILVETIA “ALICE”…

(January 4, 1930 – May 1, 2022)

Alice was born in the Ukraine and moved with her parents, Victor and Anna Shewchuk (deceased) and siblings, Mary, Olga, Margaret, Jean, Andy, Nick, Bill and Mac (all deceased) to Saskatchewan, Canada when she was very young. Her life eventually brought her to Southwestern Ontario, finally settling in London. In her younger days, Alice enjoyed embroidery, gardening, and travel. Alice is survived by her daughter Gail from Las Vegas, along with grandchildren, Ryan, Michael, Mykayla and great grandchildren, Baylee and Ace.

Alice will be greatly missed by her caregiver and friend, Pegg Saunders. They first met when Pegg moved in down the hall from Alice. They quickly became friends, going on drives, and seat dancing to tunes on the radio. Alice and Pegg loved to take day trips down to the water, often stopping for ice cream on the way back. Alice came to rely on Pegg, who eventually became her advocate.

Alice gave joy to all she came in contact with, always greeting them with a smile and kind words. She loved her scratch tickets and going to the casino when the opportunity arose. She was a spunky woman with attitude and grit!

Donations in Alice’s name can be made to Extendicare, 860 Waterloo St, London, ON N6A 3W6. A small gathering of close friends will take place at a later date. Cremation has taken place, arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

SCHNITTKER, Nancy…

Nancy passed away peacefully at home, on Thursday, April 28, 2022 surrounded by her family after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Beloved wife of Larry for 54 years. Loving mom of Darrin (Krista). Cherished Grammie of Chase and Cole. Cremation has taken place and at Nancy’s request, no visitation or service will be held. Donations in memory of Nancy may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Canada, 316-4211 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M2P 2A9 or Diabetes Canada 1300-522 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2R5. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com