Obituary of Karen Berteit

BAIRD, John Peter At Toronto, on Tuesday, January 25, 2005, at 4:00 p.m., John, at age 91, peacefully slipped away to his eternal rest surrounded by his family and secure in his faith, both of which were so very important to him. Loving and cherished husband of Margaret (Peggy) for 64 years. Dear father of Jennifer and her husband Randy Reese, Janet Callaghan and her partner Jeff Butler. He is remembered lovingly and proudly by his grandchildren Vanessa and her husband Boaz Axelrad, Lindsey and her husband Jordan Black, Brendan Callaghan, Courtenay Wise, Miranda Callaghan, Darcy Callaghan and his fianc�e Taissa Prychodko, and by his great-grandchildren Neeve and Kai Axelrad and Zoe Black. John led a full and remarkable life that began in Newcastle upon Tyne on November 23, 1913. He joined the British Army as a very young man and rose to the rank of Major on a journey that took him to India with the Royal Horse Artillery, Singapore and Europe as well as North Africa, Iraq, Egypt and Italy during World War II. One of John�s joys later in life was the time he spent as a retiree working as a court clerk for the family court of Ontario. John learned a lot about the fine work and difficult decisions that must be wrestled with on a daily basis by the lawyers and judges in their efforts to protect a fair and just society. John never stopped learning and was always deeply interested in public affairs and international politics. Though he spent many years as a soldier, he was deeply saddened by the expansion of violence and wars throughout the world, especially the involvement of foreign troops that escalate these circumstances and expose the soldiers to unnecessary danger. A mass will be held at OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP CHURCH, 78 Clifton Road (at St. Clair Avenue East), on Saturday, January 29th, at 1:30 p.m.