Maureen, Robert and families. We are sorry to hear of your Dad’s death. He was a great friend of my Dad, Dan Burns and my Mom Nora. Dad spoke of him often. Ray and I met him on numberous occasions at Barbershop events and always enjoyed his great sense of humour and his wonderful laughter. I know he will be missed by you all. Sincerely, Ray & Kathy Marshall

Jack touched all of us in so many ways. Many nights at the Caledon Inn he sang us Johnnie Boy!! Jack was lots of fun and a wonderful caring man. Jack will be missed.

Looking thru some old photos last month there was a picture from the late 60sof the U.P.W.A. Loc 114 ball team with Bob and my late brother Bob as players and Jack as coach. What a wonderfull influence he had on us as kids. Lots of stories about the war years and if i am not mistaken was a POW. I will always remember him “peeling his tires ” for us in front of our house in Midland. He always knew how to make us laugh.
The Paris family extends their condolences.

To: George Tymkow and Family:
From: Jim Bland (Davis Feed)
I was sorry to learn of Jack’s passing. He was a good friend and customer both at the “Feed Mill” and “Davis’s”.
Our thoughts are with you.

Sincerely,
Jim.

Please accept our deepest sympathy .We always enjoyed the times we saw your dad and enjoyed his entertaining spirit He was a joy and we know you will miss him greatly Love Aunt Mary + Uncle Ed

I knew Jack from the Caledon Inn and was a great person and I am truly glad to have known him. He was always full of happiness and wonderful stories that he shared with us. His sense of humour will be missed, and my condolences are with his family.
Sincerely,
Michael

Dear George, Maureen, Robert, Jan, Shannon, Brandon, Brant, Jeannine, Connor and Dylan:

We were very sorry to hear the about the passing of Grandpa Jack. The memorial service was beautiful and we were glad that we were able to attend and listen to the tributes. It was the first time we had the opportunity to enjoy the inside of St. John’s Church. What a charming place, with the bell tolling and the choir singing above our heads emitting their cheerful and melodic tones. The fall weather was comforting and as Hayley and I walked down The Gore Road to church I could not help but think that Jack would have loved to be taking Peggy out for a ride on such a day. We are sure Jack was there listening, smiling and singing with the choir just as you said.

We have such happy memories of Jack on the farm. He loved his horses and pony. In the early years he would ride his horses on his saddle. How he scared us all at times, but you had to admire his love for riding. He had that fall and broke some ribs and climbed all the way up to bed thinking that a rest in bed would be enough to cure his troubles. Of course it was not and the ambulance came and took him off to the hospital. He was a typical male, thinking that he would be alright without medical attention.

Not long afterwards, he sold the horses and decided that a pony would be safer. How he enjoyed taking Peggy out for a ride in the buggy. He gave Hayley a memorable birthday one year by offering each attendee a ride in the buggy. It was an experience I am sure all would remember and who knows he may have passed off his love of horses to one of those little girls.

He adapted well to the role of the country gentleman. He would come back from one of his outings to a horse show, beaming with this large smile. He told us much about his life as a soldier and his adventures in Austria as a prisoner of war. How he had joined the cavalry and had attended the horses but within a few months his unit was converted to a tank battalion. He never lost his love of horses and we are glad he was able to enjoy them fully on the farm. He became part of the community too. Those evenings he spent at the pub were important to him. He loved to chat, share stories and enjoy a good beer as well.

It was nice of him to share many stories with us. He always stayed positive and never got down about the hand he was dealt either. He was a good role model for our kids. He’d go down to Macville on Remembrance Day, dressed in his uniform and answer questions about his experiences. Aidan was very proud of him for doing this. Unless you have been in war and experienced it yourself it is hard to imagine. My grandfather was a soldier as well and from the stories that have filtered down from my father, one must respect all those who have served. On his last trip to England, Jack’s regiment had been invited to have tea with the Queen Mother. He treasured that experience and he was very proud of the fact that he served his country.

He loved to read too. There was a time after Edna died and we lived together in the farmhouse. We started reading the same book at the same time. I would read a portion and then when I was at work he would read and catch up or surpass my spot in the book. We would talk about what we read and it was a wonderful experience to share our reactions to the story with each other. I rarely get that opportunity, so I will cherish that memory of Jack. He loved history too and reading in general and that was something that enriches a person. He knew so much and he lived through such tumultuous times. We always admired your father’s knowledge.

He had such energy about him. It made you want to get up and go. He helped run eggs over to Rock Garden or would pick-up the chickens for Steve if needed. He would babysit for us if we got stuck and even run over to the babysitter’s place. That summer he was in the Orangeville play he invited us to attend one of the performances. For his age he had amazing talents. He could sing and dance a little and he was always respectable. He’s sing for us too. I think we were lacking in the music department for him though. Edna loved to sing and play the piano and I guess that was one of the things that brought them together.

We sympathize with your loss. We are thankful for the time we had with Grandpa Jack. We think he was happy in the cabin. He told us once after we took down the shed that he loved to sit on the porch and admire the view.

Thank you for inviting us back to the home after the service as well. It was nice to see the photos of Jack as a young man once more and remember him for what he was a wonderful gift from God. He blessed us with his stories and his good sense. He never lectured or scolded, but supported your efforts. He could be a good listener and never judged one for their faults either. Yes, he did love his cup of tea.

He lived a long and prosperous life. We will not forget our Grandpa Jack. He was energetic, knowledgeable, good humoured and spry, but then he was British don’t you know. He touched all of our hearts not only with his music and his natural charm, but with the goodness of his soul. We will miss him dearly. We know you will too. Aidan was very sad to hear of his passing. He cried for a bit and then he came out from his room and said, “I think Grandpa Jack will be okay, he is in a better place now.” We know that that is so and that he’s by your mother’s side and they are renewing their love once again.

While his loss is great, he left us all with hope too. If we have the good fortune to live as long as Jack, then we will want to be like him and take enjoyment in a number of things. He never let his passions wane and we suspect this is the success to living a long time. We will always try to be a little bit better because of Grandpa Jack. Thank you for sharing a part of him with us.

We send our deepest sympathy to you and your families.

Kindest regards,

Stephen, Jane, Hayley, Aidan and Warren