Obituary of Robert McGunegal Ginn

ROBERT MCGUNEGAL GINN
BSc, MSc, PhD, P.Eng
August 20, 1930 – March 18, 2018

It is with sadness that the family of Robert announces his passing. Robert died on a beautiful Sunday in his eighty-eighth year, knowing that he was deeply loved by his family.

Bob was an only child, born in Toronto to George Ryce Ginn and Muriel McGunegal Ginn. His early life involved many moves as his pharmacist father opened Tamblyn Drug Stores across Ontario. Bob attended John Wanless and graduated from Lawrence Park Collegiate in 1949. His fond memory was being part of Lt. Col. Bob Douglas’ cadet corps. Although he was a straight shooter, his two left feet posed a challenge for him as he tried to master the march. Bob graduated in Geological Engineering from Queen’s University with a BSc and MSc and from University of Toronto with a PhD.

After a geological field season with the Ontario Department of Mines in 1956, Bob returned to Toronto to be Best Man for his friend Wally Pryce. There he was smitten by Diane Marshall’s Maid of Honour, Dorothy Shadlock. They were married on May 11, 1957 and so began a 61 year long love story.

Bob was appointed Resident Geologist for the Ontario Department of Mines in Timmins in 1959 where Kathy and David were born. The family embraced life in Timmins and Bob became a dedicated community volunteer who supported the Red Cross, Cub Scouts at First United Church and the March of Dimes. A Vice President position with Texas Gulf Sulphur brought the family back to the GTA in 1966 where Carrie and Nancy were soon born. Bob’s professional life continued on an upward climb as he took the helm of St. Joe Minerals, Novamin Resources, and Sulpetro Minerals. Consulting jobs took him across the globe to Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Eritrea, and back to the North West Territories and his beloved Timmins as head of Viking Gold and TimGinn.

Glencairn Avenue was home base for 47 years where life revolved around a busy house of kids and their friends, wonderful neighbours, and volunteer work at St. George’s United Church, Mining Hall of Fame, and president of both the PDAC and the Granite Club. Dorothy finally convinced him to retire at the age of 80 so that they could enjoy travelling together – and boy did they ever! Despite wonderful trips around the world, the place they loved most of all was the cottage at Long Point, Balsam Lake, where family gathered and friends visited.

Bob was a supportive and affectionate father to four children who absolutely worshipped him. He was a doting “Bumpa” to his four grandsons whose characters are a reflection of his integrity and teaching. And he was a true lover of his grand dogs, Ponto, Chloe, and especially number one doggy fella, Buddy.

Monthly lunches with the Queen’s Science 54 buddies and daily swims at the Granite with Dorothy kept him going as his cognitive health declined. But to everything there is a season, and so after a rapid decline after a fall, we were forced to say goodbye to our beloved husband and dad. He is survived by his true love and adoring wife, Dorothy Jean; his children Kathleen Elizabeth, Robert David, Caroline Anne, Nancy Louise; son-in-law Michael Roche; and his grandchildren Cameron and Geordie Finlayson and Andrew and Christopher Roche. Special thanks to cousin Eve Gouglas for her strength and kindness during these past three weeks and to the entire ICU, Trauma, and Palliative staff at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, where Robert was cared for with compassion and respect.

The family will receive friends at the Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles – Newbigging Chapel, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Davisville Avenue) from 2:00 - 4:00 and 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 25^th.  A funeral service will be held in Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, 230 St. Clair Avenue West at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, March 26^th with a celebration of life to follow at the Granite Club. In lieu of flowers and in honour of Bob’s gentle spirit, please pay a kindness forward to somebody who could really use it. Condolences, photographs and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymilesnewbigging.com.