January 20, 1933 – April 1, 2026
Our funny, sweary dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa has passed away at 93, surrounded by loved ones after a long, well-lived, well-loved life.
Predeceased by his beloved wife of 61 years, Nancy, and son Andrew, Guy is survived by daughter Kim, son Scott, daughter-in-law Margaret, brother Bill, grandchildren (whom he called turkeys) Franny (James), Noah (Claudia), Marley, and Blake (Sara), great-grandchildren Olive, Ruby, and Jonah.
Guy was happiest (and crankiest) when surrounded by his family. Always calm in the face of disaster, he didn’t flinch when a certain family member set his butcher block kitchen island on fire.
He was a hound for the pope’s nose on a turkey, and he was famous for his potato latkes (secret ingredient was blood from his knuckles as he grated the potatoes and onions).
A pool shark in his youth, and a card shark all of his life, Guy hustled many a child out of their hard-earned allowance. Even his own mother he would skunk at cribbage.
Guy loved everything about fishing, and exhibited rare patience doing it although he was known to turn the air blue when losing a catch off his line. He fished from Florida to the Arctic, always keen to hook a big one. He taught his whole family how to bait a hook, and fillet a bass or pickerel like a surgeon. He also taught them to love extremely expensive seafood and how to prepare it. Shout-out to Don at Ontario Fisheries in Collingwood.
Although adored by his mother and extended family Guy grew up without a father. That meant he had to work for every dollar, starting out as a short order cook on the railway, and then at a Haida Gwaii lumber camp. After he married Nancy at 21, he took a job as a travelling salesman for Thunderbird Trading, travelling the highways and byways of Ontario. He eventually bought the company.
He and Nancy moved to an old farmhouse in the Beaver Valley in the late ’80s, and delighted in their life there despite the cluster flies. Tennis, car rallies, dinner parties, flying Cessna 172s out of the Billy Bishop Regional Airport, and skiing were much enjoyed pastimes, but the waters of Georgian Bay were always too cold to tempt him to swim, even in August.
A long-time volunteer at the Beaver Valley Outreach, Guy loved having new purpose after a lifetime of ‘nose to the grindstone’ to support his family. Over the years, he packed food boxes, cooked turkeys, served kids breakfast, and did whatever needed doing.
We will all remember how Guy made us laugh. We’ll remember how much he loved his wife and family and friends, and will pass on his advice for success in life to his great-grandchildren, “Stay out of jail, and stay off welfare.”
It takes a village to care for a very old person. Heartfelt love and gratitude to the staff at peopleCare Meaford Long Term Care. Everyone there went above and beyond every single day.
A private graveside service was conducted at Thornbury-Clarksburg Union Cemetery. All are welcome to a celebration of Guy’s life at the Marsh Street Centre in Clarksburg on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 2 until 4 p.m.
As your expression of sympathy, and in lieu of flowers, donations in Guy’s name can be made to the Beaver Valley Outreach ‘BVO’ would be appreciated and may be made through the Ferguson Funeral Home, 48 Boucher St. E., Meaford, ON, N4L 1B9, to whom arrangements have been entrusted.
