Obituary of John R. Bousfield

<p><strong>JOHN R. BOUSFIELD, FCIP, RPP</strong></p> <p><strong>DECEMBER 26, 1929 – NOVEMBER 22, 2016</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Dearly beloved husband of his beautiful wife, Morleen, for 57 years, loving father to sons, Joel and Andrew, dear father-in-law of Andrew’s wife, Kimberley, and loving “Bubba” to his three granddaughters, Jourdan, Emma and Hannah.  Predeceased by his elder brother, Edward Bousfield, his older sister, Audrey Brown (Charles), and his younger sister, Diane Howie (Ralph).  Survived by his younger brother, the Reverend David Bousfield, and David’s wife, Jean.</p> <p> </p> <p>John graduated from Lawrence Park Collegiate in 1947, president of the student council.  He went on to study geography at the University of Toronto, obtaining an honours bachelor of arts degree in 1951.  He then travelled south of the border and finished his post-secondary education at the University of Wisconsin at Madison graduating with a masters of science degree in city regional planning in 1953.  John went on to become one of Canada’s greatest urban planners.  Until shortly before his passing, he practiced for well over fifty years in a full range of urban planning and development projects and became an extensively experienced and highly respected expert witness before the Ontario Municipal Board.  The list of his brilliant planning ideas and contributions is far too lengthy for this obituary but among his most noteworthy were his 1958 greenbelt proposal for Toronto and the seminal 1967 Toronto Waterfront Plan.</p> <p> </p> <p>While his love of planning certainly defined John in many ways, those that knew him well would also describe him as hilariously witty, an ardent fan of the Blue Jays and baseball, interested in dialoguing on a broad range of topics and always the consummate gentleman.</p> <p>John treasured his home of the past forty-five years where he enjoyed sharing Sunday and holiday dinners with family, extended family, and dear friends.  Up and at it early every Saturday morning, he and Morleen would go to the St. Lawrence Market to shop and see his morning coffee gang.  He travelled extensively with Morleen and looked forward to seeing his Playa Linda friends every winter over the course of twenty-five years holidaying in Aruba.  John loved his partners, his colleagues, and everyone at the urban planning firm that bears his name, Bousfields.</p> <p> </p> <p>John’s family wishes to thank long-time friend and neighbour Martha Weizman, friend Marilou Paulino, the caregivers at Angels Homecare, and everyone at St. Michael’s Hospital Hematology Day Unit and Bridgepoint Hospital Palliative Care Unit for the superb love, care and support they provided to him during his myelodysplasia illness.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests in memoriam of John donations to Bridgepoint Hospital palliative care at www.bridgepointhealth.ca.</p> <p> </p> <p>The family will receive friends at the HUMPHREY FUNERAL HOME A.W. MILES – NEWBIGGING CHAPEL, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Davisville Avenue) from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 26, and from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 27.  There will be a celebration of John’s life at Thornhill Golf and Country Club at a later date to be announced on www.humphreymilesnewbigging.com.</p>