Obituary of JOHN JAMES MORTIMER

John James Mortimer passed away peacefully on April 23, 2023, at Johnson Memorial Hospital, in Gimli Manitoba, at the age of 99 years and 10 months.

He was predeceased by his father, William Christie Mortimer, and his mother, Mae Elizabeth Mortimer (nee Teskey), brother Norman (Marion), sisters Patricia and Mary; wife, Hazel Agnes Mortimer (nee McDonald), and daughter-in-law Josette.

John is survived by his sons, William (Monika) of Sindelfingen Germany and Gordon of Vancouver British Columbia, and daughters, Carol (Terry) and Alanna (Daniel) of Winnipeg Manitoba. John has twelve grandchildren: Christopher, Peter, Thomas, Dylan, Lee Ann, Jayme, TJ, Carly, Mia, Garrett, Kara, Jared; and eight great-grandchildren: Emma, Avery, Lennon, Hazel, Ivy, Talia, Ellie, Sophia.

John was born in Winnipeg, June 10, 1923. He attended Grosvenor School and graduated from Kelvin High School. He enjoyed playing hockey and was invited to the New York Rangers’ training camp. John was proud of building the Crestwood Community Center. He served in the Canadian Navy during World War II, escorting ships from Canada to the mid-Atlantic. After returning home from the Navy, he worked at his father’s wholesale dry goods company, Western Veiling; He eventually took over the company and ran the business until his retirement. He joined the Khartum Shrine as a clown named “Buttons”, driven by their charitable support for the Crippled Children’s Hospital. John enjoyed building, always working on some “project”, whether at his place or at a friend’s. He enjoyed volunteering at the Gimli Humane Society, installing new fences, ramps, and enclosures.

John and Hazel were happily married for 38 years. They travelled to Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, Hawaii, Alaska, Colorado, and Europe. After his wife passed away, he moved to Sandy Hook, Manitoba, where he has been a resident for 25 years. He enjoyed his favorite place, his “Nature Room”, overlooking Lake Winnipeg, enjoying a coffee and visiting with family and friends.

We thank Matthew McKelvey and the team at Interlake East Regional Health Authority for their kind and generous support. We are grateful to Dennis Fancy (Home Care Assistance) for stepping up to arrange live-in assistance for Grampa and for the caring support Dorothy, Iryna, Kelley, Nancy, and Cecelia provided, which allowed Grampa to spend his final years in his home safely and comfortably. We thank the staff at Johnson Memorial Hospital for making his final days peaceful.

We recognize Shorty’s 25-year friendship with Fred, a fellow Sandy Hooker. If they weren’t working together at their places, they were helping neighbours or looking for their next story and laugh.

We recognize the long friendships John enjoyed with Margaret, Brian and Marcia, and Larry, and the many people who would stop and talk along the lane.