It is with parting sadness and enduring gratitude that we announce the death of John Linden Harvey after 96 2/3 years of inspired living. Husband of the late Thora (2016); father of Michelle Simmonds (David), Mark (Jennifer), and Stephen (Jannick); grandfather of Erica, Jeremy, Jenn, Danny, Adam, Ryan, Helen, Johnny, Shelagh, and the late Kathryn; great-grandfather of 15; survived by sister Mary Lund (Kenneth), brother-in law Rick Pond (Bob), and sister-in law Joan Pond. Beloved by many more in the Harvey/Pond families. John lived life to the fullest and left on his own terms with dignity, humour, and love.
Born in Courtland and raised primarily in Granton and Byron, John’s formative years as the son of a minister and librarian inspired a zest for life and love of family, nature, and creative learning. Cherished childhood summers spent camping on the Bruce peninsula, subsiding on nature’s bounty, helped form his love of camping, hiking, swimming, and birding.
Following in his parents’ footsteps, John attended Victoria College (U of T), graduating in Geological Science and marrying fellow student Thora in 1950. He became a biology teacher, working for two years in Parry Sound, and the remainder of his career at WCI in Woodstock.
Teaching suited John’s love of learning, helping others, family, and summer. In his spare time, he enjoyed birding, woodworking, furniture restoration, visual arts, and writing. His oil paintings hang in homes and galleries throughout the world. John was an inspirational teacher and role model in the classroom and within numerous clubs, organizations, and his vast circle of family and friends. A boy at heart, many of his companions in later life were almost a century younger than him and revered him as a great teacher.
John was a child of summer. He introduced Thora, the love of his life, to the wonders of nature (that mostly made up for her small clothing budget) and they raised a family on sunshine and fresh air. They spent many summers at a rustic cottage in Parry Sound and took two memorable six-week east coast camping trips. Ultimately, a cottage on Manitoulin Island became the focus of summer family life that featured reunions spanning four Harvey generations and visits with many friends and extended family. Guests will recall trips throughout the Island, hikes to the “burned down house”, campfires, morning dips, sunbathing, bird watching, and nightly games (and accompanying snacks), often Scrabble or the card game Big Bertha in which Thora often declared John a “stinker.” John was happy to know that the cottage remains in the family for the legacy to continue.
Ever the precocious boy, John was known for his irreverent sense of humour. His clever disguise as a distinguished older gentleman allowed him to drop shocking bombshells into polite conversation which particularly tickled his grandchildren. From dressing up as an old lady with a pillow stuffed into the back of his skirt and declaring himself to be “Mrs. Roundbottom” to using impolite but legitimate Scrabble words, his antics became family lore.
John was kind, brilliant, and respected by many. He would have been too modest to enjoy seeing a list of his awards and accomplishments and took satisfaction in knowing he did the right thing. John would have appreciated gifts in his memory to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Friends and family are invited to gather for “John’s Day” at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 25 at Brock and Visser Funeral Home (845 Devonshire Ave 519-539-0004) in Woodstock to celebrate a life truly well lived. Share a memory at www.brockandvisser.com