With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother at age 70 on December 28, 2017, at Cambridge Memorial Hospital surrounded by her loving family.

Beloved wife of Andre for 53 years; Cherished mother of Brenda Rice (Dave), Denise Leclerc (Earl) and Bingo Leclerc (Sheri); Loving grandmother to Amanda (Brian), Greg (Chris), Kaitlyn (Marcos), Alex, Josh and Dante; Survived by her sisters Yvonne Gingras (Raymond) and Rachel Julien (Rheal). Sister-in-law to John Leclerc (Sandy), Monique Langis and Sue St. Onge (Marius). Loved by many nieces, nephews and friends. Predeceased by her parents and many brothers and sisters.

Special thanks to Dr. Macie, Lana, Dr. Brown, fourth floor nurses and ICU for their extra special care.

​As per Lorraine’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, January 6th at 11 a.m. at St. Clement’s Church, 745 Duke Street, Cambridge, Ontario.

In lieu of flowers, donations made to the Cambridge Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Canadian Lung Association would be appreciated by the family. 

Passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 24, 2017 at the age of 79.

Loving and dedicated husband of Caroline and father of Greg and Jeff.

Bill was the youngest and last surviving member of his family of six from West Lorne, Ontario. Bill was the manager of McBee Co. until he took early retirement to join Caroline in the antique business. He loved attending many local auctions.

A special thanks to the staff at Cambridge Country Manor, where Bill resided since November of 2014.

Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Bill’s life will be hosted by his family at his former home on Saturday, January 6, 2018 from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer Society would be appreciated by the family.

Passed away peacefully on Saturday December 23, 2017, just short of his 85th birthday at Columbia Forest Long Term Care.

By his side was his devoted wife Jana Otruba, his loving daughter Ivet Loder with her husband Brian Loder and his three beautiful grandchildren; Jasmyn Whitelaw, Spencer Whitelaw and Briana Loder.

He will be sadly missed but not forgotten. Cremation has taken place.

Passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 23 at Lisaard House hospice in Cambridge, Ontario.

Lovingly remembered by her sisters Elsie Kinsella (Frank) and Wendi Langton (Kim), her brother Gary Urquhart and many nieces and nephews. Joanne is predeceased by her parents Ottie and Helen Urquhart.

Cremation has taken place and as per Joanne’s wishes, there will be no formal memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Lisaard House would be appreciated by the family. 

Passed away peacefully at Freeport Hospital on Thursday December 21, 2017, at the age of 74.

Beloved husband of 50 years to Sheila (Harris) Ballon. Guy will be dearly missed by his children; Paula Hammond and Mike Ballon (Janice), and grandchildren, Morgan and Camryn.

Guy will be remembered as a kind and gentle man with a beautiful smile, whose family was always number one. The family would like to extend their thanks to all of Guy’s caregivers at the Grand River and Freeport Hospitals, and the help of Guy’s close friends over the last few months.

A private family service will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Society would be greatly appreciated. 

65, Cambridge, Ontario. Passed away peacefully surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer.

Now joined with his Mum, Phyllis Banks. John will be loved and remembered by his son Jonathan Banks, daughters Joanna Banks (Asif), Laura Banks (Jamie) and grandchildren Alexis, Aaliyah and Armaan.

Born in Manchester England, John was a lover of all things Manchester United FC and enjoyed spending his weekends watching the football games on TV.

The family would like to say a big thank you to the kind, loving and supportive team at Medical Daycare and Dr. Healy in CMH, Dr. Kuk of Grand River Regional Cancer Center, Dr. Whitton of the Juravinski Cancer Center in Hamilton, the staff at Tri-City Cremation Services and all the nurses and PSW’s in Lissard House.

Cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lissard House hospice.

Please visit John's obituary notice on Facebook.

Passed away in her 96th year on December 12, 2017.

Dear mother of Carol (Doug) Nichols of New Hamburg. Doreen was so proud of her grandchildren: Andrew (Carol) Nichols of Oshawa and Heather Nichols of Waterloo. They will miss their Nana.

Doreen was predeceased by her husband, Ken, in 2005 after 62 years of marriage. Also predeceased by her brother, Russell Pycock.

Cremation has taken place and the family will celebrate her life privately.

Passed away peacefully at St. Mary’s General Hospital on Tuesday December 12, 2017, at the age of 70.

Robert worked as a custodian with the Waterloo District School Board until his retirement.
Beloved husband of the late Irene (Czarny) Courchesne. Loving father of Laura Courchesne (Ron) and Carole Courchesne (Rob). Cherished grandfather of Rebecca, Kaitlyn, Bethany and his special grandson Zachary. Lovingly remembered by his many brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and their families.

Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. 

Jim Gallagher, age 69, passed away peacefully with this family by his side at Lisaard House in Cambridge, Ontario on Tuesday, December 12, 2017.

Lovingly remembered by his son Jason Gallagher (Mandy), his daughter Nathalie Gallagher and five grandchildren. Sadly missed by his siblings, Les Gallagher (Sandra Hurlburt), Gord Gallagher (Linda), Judy Gosse (Steve), Linda Ford (Gerald) and Dan Gallagher. Jim was predeceased by his parents James and Bernice Gallagher (née Labram).

Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Jim’s life will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2018 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the South Waterloo Naval Veterans Association, 30 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, Ontario.

Please visit Jim's obituary notice on Facebook.

Mary Magdalen Petrovich (née Troyak), age 89, passed away peacefully, on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at Trinity Village Care Centre in Kitchener, Ontario after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

Mary is survived by her three children, Rosemary, Jane and David, and six grandchildren. Mary was predeceased by the love of her life, her husband Joseph Petrovich.  

Mary was born in the village of Bobrov, Slovakia in the Maly Tatry Mountains, on Sunday, July 22, 1928. Three days later her father, Michael Troyak was notified that his application for emigration to Canada was finalized. Seeking a better life for his family, he left behind his wife Barbara Irene Troyak (née Balaban) and his infant daughter Mary, expecting as so many others did that he would soon earn enough money to bring them to Canada. But because of the Depression and WW II, they would not be re-united until 1946, when Barbara and Mary travelled by ocean liner to meet Michael in Port Arthur, now known as Thunder Bay. Mary was just eighteen.

As a child in Bobrov, Mary helped her mother pick mushrooms and strawberries in the woods around the village. She recalled going with her mother when Barbara worked as a gardener for a wealthy family, playing in the family's dollhouse, and being treated 'like a princess', by her mother's employers.

Just before WW II, Barbara brought her daughter to the Slovak capitol of Bratislava, where Barbara worked as a cook for the Police Department and Mary went to school, and studied music, ballet and fencing. She taught ballet to young children and worked part time in the Police kitchens with her mother and many other Slovak women. In later years Mary would startle her children with her fencing moves with an otherwise innocuous umbrella.

When the Wehrmacht was moving out of Bratislava before the oncoming Allied armies, Mary was very nearly taken to Germany by an officer who apparently 'liked her bright eyes'. The officer was to come back on a certain day to take her, but the other workers disguised her as an old woman, and he walked right past her.

When the War ended, Michael, still working in Canada, was finally able to contact his family and sent them money for the fares to join him in Canada. Mary was engaged to a young doctor named Josef in Bratislava, but she was unwilling to let her comparatively unsophisticated mother go alone to a new country and a husband who was effectively a stranger. So Mary left her fiancé behind, made all the arrangements for travel and emigration, and took ship for Canada.

Mary attended high school in Port Arthur, learned English and then worked as a legal secretary. Illustrating the ‘cultural mosaic’ of Canada: Mary, a Slovak-Canadian, was introduced to Joe Petrovich, a Croatian-Canadian, by his best friend, an Italian-Canadian, while they were all at a neighbourhood dance at the Finn Hall (which still exists and still serves great food).

Mary and Joe crossed quite significant cultural lines for that time, by falling in love, and marrying. Fortunately, everyone was Catholic, and the families got along sufficiently well. One of Joe’s four sisters was the maid of honour, and the others were among the bridesmaids.

Joe worked hard, became a Master Electrician, and was hired by Trans Canada Pipelines. He did well there, which led to promotions and transfers. Mary set up lovely homes for her growing family in Thunder Bay, Red Rock, Regina (Saskatchewan), Hearst, New Liskard, Haileybury, North Bay and Grafton. Moving to TCPL Station 86, 60 miles north of Hearst was a memorable adventure. Mary insisted that the company provide a school and teacher onsite for the children, and this was done. She drove the family Chevrolet Bel Aire in a little convoy bringing her mother Barbara and the kids (David was 5 months old), from Thunder Bay to Hearst in a December blizzard with frequent whiteouts. Husband Joe was in a company utility truck ahead of her, and her father Michael followed in his car.

When her beloved husband Joseph died tragically of cancer in 1969, Mary made yet another move from the company house in Grafton to a new home in Cobourg. She brought her parents to live in Cobourg and supported her family by purchasing and running a small apartment building, selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door, and working at General Foods. She volunteered with the Red Cross, became a ‘Hockey Mom’, a member of the Catholic Women’s League and a choir soprano. Mary supported and encouraged her three children through high school, college and university, which led to her moving to Kitchener while her parents moved nearby to Cambridge. She continued to work and volunteer wherever she went. One of Mary’s favourite jobs was working as a translator for the Court in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Mary had a superb voice and was a staunch member of church choirs at the Pro-Cathedral in North Bay, St. Michael’s in Cobourg, St. Aloysius in Kitchener, St. Gabriel’s in Burlington and briefly at the Igloo church in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. In Cobourg she joined the chorus for amateur productions of Gilbert & Sullivan musicals. She made sure her children had the opportunity to study music, tirelessly ferried them to piano lessons and band practices. Mary knew their friends, and welcomed them for meals, parties and just hanging out. Love of family, perhaps her most important legacy, was taught through togetherness, loyalty, sharing and giving.

Mary enjoyed fashion, elegance, gardening and interior design. She loved to listen to music, dance, take long hikes with her German Shepherd dogs, and travel. In 1978 Mary took her children to Czechoslovakia for three weeks, showing them both Bratislava and Bobrov, as well as several other places of beauty and interest around the country, and introducing them to friends and relatives. Some of her other trips were to the Canadian Arctic, British Columbia, Cuba, Columbia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and to Rome, Italy on a Mediterranean cruise with her church choir. Mary always enjoyed all her adventures—at home and away—to the fullest extent, and refused to be held back. When Mary was 55, her children took her skiing on Whistler Mountain. She fractured her lower leg soon after starting on the last run of the day. Rather than summon the Ski Patrol, she tightened up her ski boot and walked the rest of the way down.

Mary Magdalene Troyak Petrovich was a participant in life, never just a spectator. She was always the life of the party, and a fierce advocate for what she believed in. She taught a lot of people many important lessons, and brought love and light to their lives. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends and all who knew her.

The family would like to say a heartfelt thanks to the staff of Trinity Village Long Term Care Centre in Kitchener, Ontario. A resident of Trinity’s Walnut Grove for six years, Mary was cared for very well, with affection, kindness, patience and persistence.

Memorial donations may be made to Mary’s favourite charity – Covenant House, which helps homeless, at-risk youth –those who are not lucky enough to have someone like Mary Petrovich in their lives.