Obituary of Peter Roxon

ROXON, Peter Peter Roxon (Oompa), 93, of Toronto, Ontario, passed away peacefully from heart failure on Monday, September 29th, 2014. Peter, born in Silesia, Poland, bore witness to some of the most horrific and glorious events of the 20th century. He was in his eighteenth year, with dreams of studying medicine in university that fall, when the Nazis invaded his hometown. He was immediately conscribed into the army, and eventually taken prisoner. He spent a year in a Russian POW camp before escaping into the night. Upon his escape, he joined the British Eighth Army under General Montgomery and was involved, and sustained injuries, in the raid on Monte Cassino. After the war, he settled in England where he completed his formal education at the University of London obtaining a degree in Chemical Engineering. During this time he did everything to sustain himself - from work in a bakery to slinging eels for a local fish market. After obtaining his degree, he decided to start a new life in Canada. He travelled to Canada aboard the Franconia in 1952, carrying one suitcase, alone, and largely penniless. After finishing work one evening at a Cornwall, Ontario pulp mill, he and some friends went out for dinner. In the dining room, he spotted a beautiful, lively young woman, Margaret, whom he immediately introduced himself to. The rest was history, because it wasn't long before Peter and Margaret married in 1959. They relocated to Kingston, for a new job opportunity at the CIL ammonia plant. They had one son, John, born in December, 1960. In the years that followed, Peter held positions in Nova Scotia at a heavy water plant and in Toronto at Ontario Hydro. It was during this time that he obtained an additional degree in Nuclear Engineering and was involved in the design of the Darlington Nuclear Power Plant. Since retirement at Hydro, Peter was supervisor of maintenance at Etobicoke General Hospital and after that, helped his son and daughter-in-law Julie, start their own business, J&A Media Services. This was a natural fit for him because of his interest in current events. He continued to arrive to work every day at 6:30 a.m. sharp - until he was 92 years old. Peter was an avid practitioner of curling, bridge and ballroom dancing. He had a very positive attitude toward life, always saying, 'Life is beautiful.' It was his way of telling everyone not to sweat the small stuff. He had experienced a lot of joy and pain in life, and his perspective was apt. He will be sorely missed by all. Peter is predeceased by his wife, Margaret, who passed in October, 1998. He is survived by his son John, daughter-in-law, Julie, granddaughter, Lindsay, and grandson Sam. The family will receive friends at the HUMPHREY FUNERAL HOME A.W. MILES - NEWBIGGING CHAPEL, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Davisville Avenue) on Sunday, October 5 from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. and Monday, October 6 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held immediately after visitation on Monday, at 1:00 p.m. Condolences and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymilesnewbigging.com.