Greg Canning, our father, has died. Born on Merasheen Island in the country of Newfoundland in 1937 he lived eighty three years of life and lived through three centuries of social change and growth. Born in a home without electricity, without running water and displaced by Newfoundland’s political upheaval of the late forties and fifties Greg was able to attend high school for only three months before final exams passing with honours. Honours would be his hallmark. Meeting and marrying Alice Dulong they raised four boys, Dad going to university with us all born. He worked with the Canadian post office and the National Capital Commission in Ottawa before being able to return to his home of Newfoundland with the Newfoundland Liquor Corporation as its Vice President.

The list of companies he worked with is long. From local manufacturing efforts like Bruin to multinationals like Labatts he sought challenge seeking opportunities to better himself, to solve a problem. People called him President, Vice President, CEO, Director. We called him Dad. Dad loved to fish. He would stand at the end of the pond where the river ran in and watch his big white samoyed dog Gin run down the shore barking her way home to supper. Even she had had enough, Dad always came in last savouring the evening.
Alice died before Greg was seventy years old. Tumble weeds they lived virtually coast to coast in Canada. My brothers and I think they lived in twenty four houses. Fortunately for Greg he met Cathy Hartley and he had the privilege of loving and living happily with her as his partner. It was Cathy who stood by him as he died with his sons in the room.

Greg Canning will be interred beside and with Alice Canning in Midland ON, their last home.

As an expression of sympathy, donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or Georgian Bay General Hospital.