John Patrick Healey

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for John Patrick Healey, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

Jack as he was known to friends and family, was born on April 6, 1942 at Strathcona Private Hospital on High Park Avenue in Toronto, Ontario. He was the son of William and Mary Healey. Raised in Toronto, Ontario, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Jack was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Jack was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Jack was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Jack also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Jack had four siblings, Patsy, Judy, Marilyn and the late Kenneth. Jack was constantly involved in activities with his family. Jack and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, Jack was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself. Jack was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything he did as a child, Jack was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around him. While growing up, Jack took part in activities such as Football and Baseball. In his spare time he enjoyed his trains and comic books.

Jack enjoyed learning. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Jack was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Jack was painstaking and accurate in his efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. He attended Bloor Collegiate, and then Central Tech where he graduated in 1962. Jack enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Chemistry.

Jack had a good disposition for the challenges of college. He always enjoyed reading, so all of those lengthy required reading assignments seemed to be less of a burden for him. In fact, Jack seemed to absorb and remember everything he read. Not all things came easily to Jack, however, and he found success by being a diligent and accurate person who would dig into a project and work through until it reached its completion. He was very thorough and laboured long and hard in order to reach his goals. He earned his degree in Chemistry at Ryerson.

Most folks would say that Jack was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. Jack was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences. Because of this, Jack best trusted those people that he truly knew. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that he made, Jack kept. While growing up, some of his best friends were Sidney Brooks, Martin Starr, Jimmy Bradshaw, and Kip and Jeannine Doherty.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Jack. He was totally committed to Sandra and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Jack naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Jack disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Jack was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Jack was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Jack was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Jack was blessed with two daughters, Tiffany Ann and Carol-Ann. He was also blessed with one grandson, Luke Ryan Foskett.

If you gave Jack a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Jack was always on task. Without hesitation, Jack could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was Assistant Chemist. During that time, Jack excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Jack was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Jack had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Jack liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Jack's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Jack preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuit was Golf. Jack was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying his hobbies all by himself and could often be found just reading about his favorite pastimes.

While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Jack often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. Recreational sports included golf. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football, baseball and hockey.

Due to his excellent organizational skills, Jack was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which he belonged. Jack could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Jack was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. For many years Jack was an active member of the Lions Club.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Jack had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included going to Quebec for a hockey tournament and a family vacation to New Brunswick.

Jack had numerous pets over the years, Oden, Wendy, Natasha, Tigger and Bella. Jack was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

When Jack's retirement finally arrived in 2002, he was well prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. His new life involved relocating to Club Link Corporation where he worked part-time as a grounds keeper. In retirement, he found new pleasure in golfing with his friends, eventually spending time with his grandson, and the family dog Bella. Even in retirement, he continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

Jack passed away on October 9, 2016 at Lakeridge Health Corporation, Oshawa, Ontario. He is survived by his daughter, grandson, sisters, aunt, cousins, nieces and nephews. Services were held at Courtice Funeral Chapel. Jack was laid to rest in Resthaven Memorial Gardens.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Jack was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Jack was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Jack was thorough, practical and very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with him. He will be missed.

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HEALEY, John Patrick

Peacefully at Lakeridge Health Oshawa on Sunday October 9, 2016. John was in his 74th year. Beloved husband of the late Sandra Healey (nee Kirby). Loved father to Carol-Ann and the late Tiffany Ann. Cherished grandfather of Luke Foskett. Dear brother of Patricia, Judy, Marilyn and the late Kenneth William. Fondly remembered by his nieces and nephews; Danny, Julie, Jamie, Jason, Sarah and Emily; his Aunt Florence and his many Cousins.

John will be resting at the Courtice Funeral Chapel, 1587 Highway 2, Courtice, ON (905-432-8484) from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday October 22, 2016, with a Celebration of John’s life to follow at 1:30 p.m. Memorial Donations to the Ontario Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated. Online condolences may be placed at www.courticefuneralchapel.com