John David was born on February 22, 1933 in Chesley to parents Nelson and Mae (Albright) Smith. He joined older brother Wallace “Wally” (1922) and completed the Smith family. Early life was difficult for John and his family as he was involved in an accident in his youth, whereby he suffered paralysis and spent several weeks in SickKids. Thankfully, he was able to make a full recovery, but this setback forced him to learn to write with his left hand. He attended Chesley Public School, but another set-back occurred when John’s father, Nelson died during his childhood. Sadly, John forewent high school to help his family and entered the workforce.
He soon began working at Krugs, however the opportunity arose for John to sail the Great Lakes on the C.D. Secord. The next two years on the water created a lifetime of memories for John, and he continued to share those fun and memorable experiences with his family and friends for the remainder of his life. His sailing stories were endless, and every time John talked of these times, it seemed like he was on the water for his entire life..
In the early 1950’s John met a young woman by the name of Hazel Loreen Walker. John’s cousin, Russell Sachs had introduced the two, and their relationship soon took off. The young couple were wed at Latona Presbyterian Church, near Dornoch, on March 19, 1955, with their reception to follow at the Dornoch Hall.
The newlyweds soon called Collingwood home, where they welcomed sons Gordon (1957) and Allan (1959). Here John worked for the Kaufman Furniture Factory in Collingwood, however they were drawn back to their hometown of Chesley in 1963. John returned to Krugs, spending much of his time in the finishing room. John and Hazel welcomed their daughter, Susan in 1968, completing their family.
In addition to working long hours, John was active in his young children’s lives. He was involved with Scouts and Beavers as the boys rose through the ranks. Hazel often worked Saturday mornings, so that meant John had some one on one time with the kids. Sue fondly remembered Saturday morning trips to Stedmans where she usually got her way and received a record/book combination. Weekends and holidays usually meant road trips both local and afar. Summer trips often included stops for ice cream or a milkshake. John knew all the locations of a “good” milkshake. John and family did explore the East coast on one family vacation and as far West as Banff with Hazel and Sue, before turning the car around and returning home.
John, along with Hazel, had a passion for all aspects of gardening, spending countless hours outdoors working in the garden and their flowerbeds. John and Hazel also enjoyed dancing. Throughout his marriage John was a devoted, dedicated and dependable husband, always looking out for and caring for Hazel’s every need.
John enjoyed collecting coins and was known by his family as a Jack-of-all-trades. He was very handy and always working on something when at home, whether it be tinkering in the workshop or completing an upgrade to the house. John tried his hand at everything, including plumbing, electrical and insulating, there was no job too big or too small! When time allowed it, John enjoyed watching hockey on TV, with the Chicago Blackhawks and the likes of Bobby Hull being a favourite. He was also fond of the older shows from the 70’s and 80’s, like Bonanza, Gunsmoke and Archie Bunker. When it came to food, John was a meat and potatoes man, and always saved room for pie. It didn’t matter if there were three pies either, as John would be sure to try a small piece of each before he left the table. Raisin pie, however, was his favourite. He had an eclectic taste in music, but was particularly drawn to older country and the likes of Charley Pride. He was very musical, spending years in the church choir and sometimes singing at home. He would often be heard through the house tapping a rhythm on the arms of his rocking chair while listening to CKNX on the radio in the kitchen. In recent years, John took more to reading and enjoyed a variety of older hockey autobiographies.
John was also active and generous with his time outside the home. In addition to helping with and taking the children to a variety of their activities, John was also a member of the Chesley Legion. However, a lot of John’s extra time was spent volunteering within his church, Geneva Presbyterian. The kids joked that dad held every position at the church and the only task he didn’t do was preach! 🙂 He was a devoted and faithful member of Geneva and even represented his church and community at larger church events outside the community. He read the Bible often, and read daily devotionals when he was no longer physically able to get to church.
John will always be remembered as a family man. The kids have countless memorable memories and stories of their dad and parents during their childhood. Whether it was his story-telling of days gone by on the Great Lakes or weekend trips to a local diner outside of Stayner, to enjoy a single-serving can of Campbells soup with Gordon. The stories and memories are endless. Like most individuals, this spoiling nature only got worse when the grandchildren arrived. Whether it was just for the weekend or a week’s stay in the summer the grandkids always knew they were in for a good time with grandpa and grandma. The house was always stocked with all the right treats like pop tarts, chocolate milk, pizza and a variety of other treasured treats! The spoiling did not end with just food, as most visits also included some toy surprise, often being a Lego kit, to help keep the kids entertained. Thankfully these stories will be shared and retold for years to come, keeping John’s memory forever alive.
John remained at Krugs until 1987, when the business closed. He then worked at their Flea Market for a short period of time before taking a job with the Town of Chesley. As part of this role, John became a staple as Chesley’s crossing guard during the school year. He enjoyed this position, and further left his footprint in the community, with the children and parents alike. John retired in 1998, at the age of 65. Sadly, it was shortly after his retirement that Hazel’s health began to decline. In the years that followed he cared for Hazel’s needs until her death in 2004. John was heart-broken and lost after Hazel’s death, however he forged on in the best way he could, enjoying family, friends and his beloved pets. John was known to be a dog man, but in later years softened up and took a fondness to cats, with Rusty remaining as his constant companion at home. Much like the grandkids, the pets were also always spoiled and well cared for. Rusty would not get just one treat but usually a hand full at a time.
John downsized and sold the house in 2016, becoming a resident of Halliday House. Here, he enjoyed his daily routine and the evening card games. Sadly, John died suddenly on Thursday, August 13, 2020 in his 88th year.
Beloved father of Gordon and his wife Vicki of Walkerton, Allan and his wife Amanda Lee-Smith, and Sue Smith and her husband Tom Holub, all of Whitby. Loving grandfather of Matthew, Ethan (Kelsey), Rose and Sam. John was predeceased by his wife Hazel (2004), brother Wally and his parents Nelson and Mae (Albright) Smith.
Visitation will be held at Rhody Family Funeral Home, Chesley on Monday, August 17, 2020 from 1 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, 25 people will be allowed in the building at any given time, and visitors must wear a mask and follow physical distancing rules. A private funeral service will be held at Geneva Presbyterian Church, Chesley on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Interment in Chesley Cemetery.
Memorial donations to Geneva Presbyterian Church or Chesley Hospital Foundation would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.
