Obituary of John Nelson

NELSON, John William John Nelson, known to all as Jack, passed away peacefully at Vermont Square on Wednesday, December 28, 2011. He leaves behind Isabella (Isa), his wife of 72 years, his daughter Dorothy Sjögren (Keith), grandsons, Timothy (Nicole) and Andrew (Meredith) and five great-grandchildren, Liam, James, Oliver, Ethan and Madeline. Jack Nelson was born in Seaham Harbour, County Durham, England on March 10, 1918. A chemical engineer by profession, he worked for Power Gas Corporation and Henry Balfour Co. before accepting an offer in 1957 to come to Canada to become the General Manager of DSB Processes Ltd. Jack remained with that firm and its successors until 1971. From 1971 until his retirement in 1984, Jack held a number of senior positions in the private and public sectors. Jack served the chemical engineering profession in Canada in many ways. In 1967, the year he became a Canadian citizen, he chaired the Toronto section of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, and between 1971 and 1974 he was the Chairman of the Editorial Board of Chemistry in Canada. A long-time resident of Don Mills, Jack was active in the community and, following his retirement, he served as a Director of the Don Mills Foundation for Senior Citizens and the Flemingdon Health Centre. Although his professional responsibilities took him across North America, his favourite place was the cottage on Billings Lake in the Haliburton Highlands. Jack's tireless efforts and willingness to develop carpentry skills turned a modest cabin into a comfortable retreat that has been a much loved gathering place for family and friends for the past 50 years. In accordance with Jack's wishes, a Celebration of Life will be held at the HUMPHREY FUNERAL HOME - A.W. MILES CHAPEL, 1403 Bayview Avenue, Toronto at 11.00 a.m. on Friday, January 6, 2012. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario or a charity of your choice. Condolences and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com.