George Mirton Gough

November 16, 1930 - April 4, 2022 - After a life fully lived, George Mirton Gough left this earth at the age of 91. Survived by his beloved wife Gail Barbeau-Gough, loving children Judith Gough (Bill MacPherson), Joel Gough (Kara), Barbara Gough; grandchildren Emily MacPherson (Richard Spalding), Leah MacPherson, Ty and Joely Gough; sister Marilyn Mills (late Newell), and stepsons Marc (Kathy) Barbeau and Scott Barbeau. George also leaves in-laws Joyce Booth (late Don), Bette Fortin (late Rene) and Wayne Godfrey (late Joan). Predeceased by his first wife Eva Fisher-Gough, parents George Gough and Doris (nee Bean) Gough-Finn, and sisters-in-law Marion Caple (Ed), Doris Agnew (Don), Helen Roberts (Barry), Pat St. Germain (Don), and Janet Edwards (Don). George was respected and loved by many nieces and nephews, friends, relatives and neighbours. George’s work ethic and integrity were unparalleled. His work journey began at the age of 10 bailing hay at his uncle’s farm in Bruce Mines. He loved work and adventure. George fondly recalled his work as a teenager when he worked on the ACR. He worked as a police officer in the Sault in the 1960’s and then went on to build his business as a contractor. He established Gough Masonry in in 1972 and retired in 2004 from the still active business. George was a past president of the SSM Construction Association and Board member of the Ontario Masonry Contractors Association. George was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed many adventures with his buddies at Cooper Lake and Last Chance Lodge (Wart Lake). He enjoyed many summers of Mad Max volleyball at Horseshoe Bay and playing guitar at the bonfires. He loved wandering the autumn bush in Northern Ontario landscapes. George was a long-time contributor to the local hockey scene, coaching and sponsoring numerous teams for decades. He was appreciated for his fairness and integrity behind the bench. Heartfelt thanks to the whole Care Team at Maple View Goulais Bay Unit. Special thanks to Dr. Fratesi and his team at SAH for their exceptional work and kindness, especially Shannon. Sincere gratitude to Dr. Booth, Dr. Hill, Dr. Oliver, the Alzheimer Society and numerous other medical and nursing individuals who have helped to care for George over the past two years, including all professionals from Paramed (Alisha) and CBI Health. Dad was an eternal optimist and we suspect that he was likely surprised by his own mortality.

The family invites you to visit either of the following links to view a 2020 interview with George for the Oral History of Sault Ste. Marie project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ4A5V-hKRo

https://catalogue.ssmpl.ca/#section=resource&resourceid=1103018062¤tIndex=8&view=fullDetailsDetailsTab

Family and friends may visit at Arthur Funeral Home - Barton & Kiteley Chapel (492 Wellington St. E. 705-759-2522) on Friday, April 8, 2022 from 10:30 am -12:30 pm. Funeral service to follow in the chapel at 1 pm. Helen Smith officiating. Interment Greenwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial donations to the Alzheimer's Society of SSM and Algoma District, SSM Humane Society, or charity of your choice. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.arthurfuneralhome.com for the Gough family.

Dad’s Eulogy

It’s so nice to see you all come out to pay tribute to a wonderful man today. Thank you for coming.Dad’s given middle name was Mirton, but he had a lot of other middle names that not a lot of people know about. [1] FAIRNESS was one of those names. Whether on the jobsite or behind the bench at the Pee Wee, everybody knew where they stood with Dad. On the job, dad he didn’t crack the whip like some of his competitors, but he definitely let you know that he expected a full day’s effort. Dad was firm, but he was fair. And behind the bench at the Pee Wee, I can remember him telling me that the one time that he sat a player in order to double shift a better player, which was often common practice, he regretted it after “the look that that kid gave me”, and he never did it again. Winning was important to DAD, but NOT at any cost. Dad was FAIR. [2 ]HUMBLE was another one of Dad’s middle names. Dad NEVER put on airs for anyone. He was just too comfortable in his own skin to worry about impressing other people. One only had to take a look at his wardrobe: the rips in his pants…… the grease stains on his favourite jackets ………the duct tape on his snowsuit……all three of them [he had 3 of EVERYTHING]…..and it was pretty clear: Dad was humble. REALLY humble. [3] And his last, and probably his most appropriate middle name, was ACTION. Whether at work or in his spare time, Dad was a real life action hero. Dad was ALWAYS in motion.If his life were a movie, it would have been a Hollywood blockbuster, complete with car chases and explosions. REALLY BIG EXPLOSIONS. Dad’s transmission only had two gears: FORWARD…… and FULL SPEED. His transmission did NOT come with reverse. Some would have described dad as impatient….. or careless…… or reckless, but we preferred: “FREE-RANGE”. Over the years, after all the motorcyles crashed……, the lawnmowers ditched,…….the forklift flipped… the vehicles rolled over…. the boats capsized….. …. we can only thank our lucky stars that he couldn’t finish getting his pilot’s licence due to a case of vertigo. When it saw Dad coming, the universe had a way of intervening once in a while: it knew was was good for him…. and mankind. [And he NEVER…broke…a…bone]. My favourite action story of Dad was when he was loading his atv on the train coming back from his camp at Wart Lake. Making his way up the gangplank, Dad had the typical misfortune of flipping the atv backwards, oh so gracefully, down the plank. Later, once the atv was finally loaded and he got onto the train, he had to face the inevitable comment from an old lady that had a front row seat on the train: “Hey Evel Kneivel!”. And the whole train bust gut as he humbly took his seat. So today, we sadly say goodbye to our favourite action hero. Thanks for the memories dad. We sure wish there was a sequel. We love you dad. Joel

Dad’s eulogy

We gather today to honour George: a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother and brother-in-law, friend, neighbour, colleague, coach…. He had many roles and we can all only hope that we each have the type of impact in our relationships that George had in his. For those of you who don’t know, my mother and 6 of her sisters: so yes, that is 7 families, shared a camp during summers at Horseshoe Bay. So essentially, we had 7 mothers and 7 fathers each summer, and cousins became siblings. Many of the quotes throughout the book are from George’s nephews. There are too many other stories of fishing, cross country skiing, sailing, boating….you get the idea. He was an adventurous, hard-working, musical, fun-loving family man who will be sorely missed. If we hold all these stories in our hearts and minds, he will truly never be entirely gone. George’s cousins, Neil and Rod Caughill, spent many seasons with dad at his nirvana: Wart Lake or ……………. . One of his memories of dad shares with us dad’s true spirit and connection with the outdoors, especially the northern bush in the fall. Nothing could be better. Neil and Rod were out hunting one fall with dad. They saw this man dressed in an orange coat standing on a VERY high outcropping (did I mention he was fearless?) overlooking a small lake, and he was yelling to no one that could be seen: “ I’M ON TOP OF THE WORLD’! I think in hindsight that he was describing his inner feelings about his life. Neil and I will never forget that day”. Dad was persistent, or we could day, stubborn. One story that will relay this is his relentless quest for his license. It was taken away, and he insisted to the end that Kathleen Wynne’s liberal government needed cash so went after Seniors licenses so they’d have to pay fees to test to get them back. Dad tried 4 times to get it back within a period of about a year. He tried here, in Sudbury, in Thunder Bay, and back here. He said he’d concede after trying again in SSM, but he never really changed his views. So you know, we put his international driving license in his wallet, so he can now drive wherever he wants. Dad was a free spirit. His mind and body never stopped!!!!! He was 10 lives all wrapped up in one person. I’m not even going to try to relay my thoughts and feelings: everyone has and will do that. Of course, we loved and respected him. This last year our entire family got the chance to spend more time with Dad, and we were all able to each other know how much we loved each other.

But how do you contain such a free spirit? Dad’s body was putting on the breaks: sending messages that he was 91 after all! While his mind roamed the countryside and made future plans, his body resisted. One thing I’ll never regret is a request he had of me to help him outside to ‘pee in the wind’ – that was his definition of freedom. (What is with you men??) You may or may not know that dad developed dementia. He remained George: kind and adventurous to the end, just a little more confused than he might have been otherwise. This is where courage and tolerance come in. Dad knew something was different. He knew he was getting some things mixed up. But with love and support, patience and tolerance, he managed his daily challenges. When dementia visits your family, remember all is not lost: it’s an opportunity to get to know your loved one in a different way: a way that often allows us to be more vulnerable, closer, to care more, and to also have some fun with their adapted views on life. Again, thank you for coming today and showing your respect for George. He made a mark in each of our worlds. Remember him for whatever stays with you. And live your life. We truly hope that you can survive as many escapades unscathed as he did!

Judi, Bill, Barbara, Joel, Kara, Emily, Leah, Ty and Joely

From Marc Barbeau & Family On Tue, Apr 5, 2022 at 2:27 PM Hi there Judy, Barb and Joel; We wish to extend our deep condolences over George's passing. We all have such fond memories of your dad from his visits here and from our visit to Wart lake there. Our relationships with George were so easy and so comfortable. He was always very interested and involved with whatever we had going on out at the farm; and he jumped right into everything with a lot of enthusiasm and generosity. He loved to find ways to apply his incredible physical energy to help or improve things for us and, also for our neighbours. He'd be out of the house early; often working on something outside or walking in the hills; and he seemed to really enjoy helping to manage the neighbours' cows; which were unusually adventurous in finding new ways to escape fences and wander. George thoughtfully brought out some of his cherished garlic and carefully planted it for Kathy along with restoring a neglected strawberry patch. When a young neighbour couple was planning to build an interesting house in a challenging location George was there (promptly!) to help them by providing his knowledge and efforts to plan and lay things out. It was amazing how he so simply slid into relationships with people; and became very comfortable and familiar. We feel it was like that with all of us. We loved spending time with George, and feel it was a great blessing to have him in our lives. We have all been remembering and speaking of our time with George...small remembrances really; his smile and easy laughter, and the common thread seems to be the sweetness of him; and the warmth of being around him. It seems like most relationships don't really allow for that; like they are too complex.. but I guess our time with George was simple, and hopefully his time here was as uplifting for him as it was for us. Much Love to you and your families, Marc, Kathy, Ellen, Nick, Nate and Niko

Jason Lepage,

I think of Uncle George all the time, especially when I am out walking and I go down Kehoe Ave. ? , i remember doing my first bricklaying job/labourer on one my summer vacations back in high school, ( i think i was 17) , i spilled a wheelbarrow full of mortar in tbe driveway of that house , , , another summer i remember working out at the yard out at Old Garden River Road , painting scaffolding and learning to drive/operate the big tractor/lift , , , to this day i still walk by Uncle George and Aunt Eva's house on John St. (I walked by there this Mon. April 3) , i remember going there when we were very young , , , i never realized it back then , but those memories , of those times are some of the most vivid to this day , and i think about them often , , , sorry to hear of Uncle George's passing .

Hi Judi, I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t share some of my memories of your Dad and how large a shadow he cast on my life. What do I remember? Mostly music, laughter and tolerance. I remember working with him on the break wall at camp. After laying the blocks and cementing the top, he let us kids put our names and other marks in the cement, which can still be seen to this day, tolerating us defiling his workmanship with humour and indulgence. Most indelibly marked in my mind is sitting around the bonfire and listening to him sing and strum on his trusty Gibson. He sang old favourites and the highlight of the night would be his rendition of “ Seven Old Ladies” about seven elderly Irish ladies and their trials and tribulations with a pay lavatory. Those of you who heard him will know what I’m talking about. Too many other stories of fishing, cross country skiing, sailing, boating….you get the idea. He was an adventurous, hard-working, musical, fun-loving family man who will be sorely missed. As long as we hold all these stories in our hearts and minds, he will truly never be entirely gone. Love Steve

Hi Judi, Joel shared the news (as did Les). I caught up with Les and Joyce a couple of weeks ago, and he shared how you had nurtured your Dad back to health awhile back. Glad you had time with him. There are so many ways that Uncle George shaped and influenced me growing up, it's almost impossible to single a couple out. The most obvious one hockey of course with the yellow and green Gough Masonry colors! He taught that true sportsmanship was valued above winning a game which has stuck with me. I remember him playing the guitar and fun campfire sing along sessions. Cross country skiing at Hiawatha and snowmobiling at Horseshoe. Whenever I was in the Soo, he always made sure that we got together for a visit to simply catch-up. Heather and I will miss his smile, spirit and zest for life that made everyone want to be with him. Thanks Judi. We are hoping to visit the Soo in the summer and look forward to catching up with everyone. Love – Terry

Here is an impression Uncle George made on me as a young man. You can edit as you see fit or not use it. I enjoyed your Dads company and it brought back good memories just writing this little story. Love to all of you.Les

Looking back I think this was an example of George's total commitment to whatever he took on. It also displays a sense of humor and realization that not everything goes the way one envisions. At Horseshoe Bay in the late 1960s, water-skiing was the new sport everyone was trying. An invitation from down the beach brought the Fisher bunch down the beach for a look see. George thought this looked like a lot of fun. It must be pointed out that outboard motors were much smaller in horsepower with a 35 or 40 being a big deal. George being a strapping young man was keen to try. He took his position at the end of the dock. Skis on, tips up, handle in hand. The boat was slowly moving to take up the slack before that burst of horsepower to bring the skier to his feet to glide around the bay. The signal was given for full throttle and the boat roared. George's timing may have been a fraction early. My vision was George sinking to the bottom of Horshoe still in perfect form and being towed as a submersible skier. I was amazed at his strength and tenacity as he was towed through the crystal clear waters for a good 20 to 30 yards. George finally let go and came to the surface. Big smile and ready to try again. I think there is still a feature in sands of the bottom of bay where George's skis left trail. You could call it Gough's trough. George was a fun loving soul who tried things with total commitment and whatever the outcome he smiled and new he gave it a try. I will miss him. Les

PS I may have already told this story but I like it anyways.

Sincerest condolences, Judy, to you and the family. Treasure the memories. Kari

My sincerest condolences to Judy, Barb and Joel Gough and your families. May your Dad Rest in Peace! Love from Jo-Marie Hyrsky Fantham

Gail, so very sorry to hear of the passing of George and know you are in our thoughts on this sad occasion. Sandra & Dennis White

Condolences to the family. He bricked my home in 1963. He was a great excellent man, will be missed.love. Gary Tranberg

Sad to read this. We knew George through years of business in the construction industry. Always enjoyed visiting with him. Condolences to all his family

Dan and Bev Reid and Elgin Harten

My sincere condolences with the passing of your father Judy. He sounds quite the active man. May your memories last long. Ray Overman

To the Gough family, sending condolences. Sorry for your loss.Carmela and Peter Maione

To Joel and family, sending condolences for George’s passing. In our thoughts, Frank DelPaggio and family.

Condolences to the Gough family your father was a good man.

We were so saddened to hear of George's passing. We have many fond memories of him and the whole Fisher family.

Les and Shirley Johnson

Judy, Barbara and Joel, I'm sorry to hear of your dad's passing. He certainly sounds like a well loved and respected gentleman. Keep all your memories close to your heart. Sincere condolences, Carrie (Watters) Fortin

Dear Joel and Family--so sorry to hear of your Dad's passing. I send my sincerest condolences. I recall his coaching skills and friendliness at the arena.

I am sure you have many great memories to comfort you at this sad time.

Irene Talvitie

Judy, Barbara and Joel, I remember your Dad as such a kind man with great stories to tell; it was a pleasure to know him; you are truly in my thoughts; Mimi Silk Eppert

Joel my condolences to you and your family at this time. Thoughts and prayers.Eric Barton

Barb and Judy, My condolences on the loss of your dad. Karen Fleming-Yost

Sincerest condolences to you, Joel, Kara, and the rest of your family.. Monica Vaes

Judi, Barbara and Joel. My sincere condolences on the passing of your father. We had so many good times...Haviland, baseball, horseshoe. Lots of good memories. Xx. Val Bell-Behnke.

George was a great neighbor....so sorry for your loss...may he rest in peace....

Mr. Gough, was one of my favorite Coaches when I was a kid. When I Coached minor hockey years later, I used some of the lessons and compassion he taught me. I am sorry for your loss to the entire Gough family. Greg McAuley.

Joel, Kara, Ty and Joely, we are thinking of you all at this sad time. We are sure your father/grandfather will be sorely missed. Paul, Patty, Riley and Jacob

Our sincerest condolences to Judy and the Gough family. Your father brings back such great memories of our teenage years. He was such a nice man and put up with us in the basement for so long! I will always think of him with fond memories. May he Rest In Peace. Pat and Rick Thomas

I considered George a personal friend and mentor.I truly enjoyed our many long conversations over Goulais breakfasts and I always learned so much from him, thanks George.My condolences to the family. Rob Holley

Sending our condolences to George’s family. He was such a nice person. May fond memories put a smile on your face. Cousins Myron and Betty Pinnell

Ottawa

Judy, Joel and Barbara. Sincere condolences on the passing of your Dad, he was a very nice man. Thinking back over 50 years when I started playing hockey at SPWA and the coaches, sponsors and overall nice people that I met, your Dad was at the top of the list. Joel, glad we had the chance just recently to chat and reminisce a bit just before he passed away. Rest In Peace George Jim and Christine Elliott

Judy, barb,joel,& Gail my sincere condolences. Ron Cook

Sorry to hear of your dads passing. Joel. He was a great man. Phil

Deepest condolences to all of you Have fond memories Family of the late Ross Jannison

I am so sorry to hear of George’s passing,my father worked with him back in the day.I think in the sixties.he was also a stone mason and always spoke highly of George,as did he speak highly of my dad while I would be cutting his hair at the stag hair shop.I always loved having him in my hair and great conversations .rest in peace sweet man.you will be missed by so many.Syl Irving

Condolences Judy, I am truly sorry about the passing of your father.. He did indeed live a wonderful life always surrounded by family and friends. I was fortunate to meet him and will fondly remember his warm smile.. Debby

Our condolences from the Carrier family. He will be missed. Sorry to hear Joe.

Joel and family, Sorry to hear of your dad's passing. He was very kind to our group of friends. You are in our thoughts and prayers, Marc & Diana Poirier

Barb and Judy Dale and I were saddened to hear of your dad’s passing. He had a great smile and Mary Ann enjoyed living by him at horseshoe. Another horseshoe bay elder is gone and we will all miss him . Anita and Dale Ratelle ( Lucas)

Sending my deepest sympathies to you all. There are so many wonderful memories that I hope will bring you comfort.

Our sincere condolences on the passing of your dad. May all the fond memories remain alive in you all. Praying that God will comfort you all with His peace. Frank and Debbie Albidone

Dear Judy and family, I am so sad to read of your father's passing.Thinking of you and I am sure you have many fond memories of your Dad. Best wishes and condolences, Monica Ruzyski

Sending love and strength, keeping the fond memories close to heart always. Thankful to have met him and I know he will be missed by many.

Judi, Barbara and Joel, Your Dad was such a fine gentleman! I am so happy that he enjoyed such a long life to love you!

My fondest memories are of him making maraschino cherry chocolates in the kitchen on John Street and playing his banjo at my Mom and Dad’s Goulais farm picnic ….singing “Yellow Bird”. Heartfelt condolences from afar. Katie Wasyliniuk Ringler Port Dover, On

Sorry for your loss, Joe. Our deepest and sincerest condolences to you and your family during this difficult time. Norm Bourgeois & Julie Poon

Judy and family We are so sorry to read of your father's passing. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers are with you all. Kathryn and Bill Johnson

Gail, I'm very sorry for your loss and hope happy memories sustain you. Leslie Conn (Stares)

To the Gough Family... I am very sorry for your loss. Though I did not know GMG, I did watch his interview for the Oral History of Sault Ste. Marie. Thank you so much for taking the time to record that history. I never had the opportunity to have similar conversations with my grand parents, or parents about the Soo, so for me it was cathartic, an opportunity to hear about the times, and perhaps even some same experiences that they may have had. Respectfully... Stan Coutu

Rest In Peace George Condolences to your family.Bill Simbirski

Judy ,Joel and families. We so sorry to hear about your father. The times that I dealt with him through work were always such a pleasure . He was a kind a gentle soul. Our thoughts are with you. Jan & Barry Pollock

Condolences to the family. We will miss him showing up with his tractor to grab a bucket of compost for his garden and a visit. Kathy, Phil Lemieux and family

To the Gough family I am sorry for your loss. Mary Miceli

"Leave the roads, take the trails". Pythagoras

"Driving for me means power and freedom. The feeling that I can go anywhere I want is exhilarating". Lykke Li

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees". Henry David Thoreau

"The time spent among trees is never wasted". Katrina Mayer

"We like to be out in nature so much because it has no opinion of us". Nietzche

* * * * * * * * * *

November 16, 1930 - April 4, 2022 - After a life fully lived, George Mirton Gough left this earth at the age of 91.

Survived by his beloved wife Gail Barbeau-Gough, loving children Judith Gough (Bill MacPherson), Joel Gough (Kara), Barbara Gough; grandchildren Emily MacPherson (Richard Spalding), Leah MacPherson, Ty and Joely Gough; sister Marilyn Mills (late Newell), and stepsons Marc (Kathy) Barbeau and Scott Barbeau. George also leaves in-laws Joyce Booth (late Don), Bette Fortin (late Rene) and Wayne Godfrey (late Joan). Predeceased by his first wife Eva Fisher-Gough, parents George Gough and Doris (nee Bean) Gough-Finn, and sisters-in-law Marion Caple (Ed), Doris Agnew (Don), Helen Roberts (Barry), Pat St. Germain (Don), and Janet Edwards (Don). George was respected and loved by many nieces and nephews, friends, relatives and neighbours.

George’s work ethic and integrity were unparalleled. His work journey began at the age of 10 bailing hay at his uncle’s farm in Bruce Mines. He loved work and adventure. George fondly recalled his work as a teenager when he worked on the ACR. He worked as a police officer in the Sault in the 1960’s and then went on to build his business as a contractor. He established Gough Masonry in in 1972 and retired in 2004 from the still active business. George was a past president of the SSM Construction Association and Board member of the Ontario Masonry Contractors Association.

George was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed many adventures with his buddies at Cooper Lake and Last Chance Lodge (Wart Lake). He enjoyed many summers of Mad Max volleyball at Horseshoe Bay and playing guitar at the bonfires. He loved wandering the autumn bush in Northern Ontario landscapes. George was a long-time contributor to the local hockey scene, coaching and sponsoring numerous teams for decades. He was appreciated for his fairness and integrity behind the bench.

Heartfelt thanks to the whole Care Team at Maple View Goulais Bay Unit. Special thanks to Dr. Fratesi and his team at SAH for their exceptional work and kindness, especially Shannon. Sincere gratitude to Dr. Booth, Dr. Hill, Dr. Oliver, the Alzheimer Society and numerous other medical and nursing individuals who have helped to care for George over the past two years, including all professionals from Paramed (Alisha) and CBI Health.

Dad was an eternal optimist and we suspect that he was likely surprised by his own mortality.

The family invites you to visit either of the following links to view a 2020 interview with George for the Oral History of Sault Ste. Marie project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ4A5V-hKRo

https://catalogue.ssmpl.ca/#section=resource&resourceid=1103018062¤tIndex=8&view=fullDetailsDetailsTab

Family and friends may visit at Arthur Funeral Home - Barton & Kiteley Chapel (492 Wellington St. E. 705-759-2522) on Friday, April 8, 2022 from 10:30 am -12:30 pm. Funeral service to follow in the chapel at 1 pm. Helen Smith officiating. Interment Greenwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial donations to the Alzheimer's Society of SSM and Algoma District, SSM Humane Society, or charity of your choice. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.arthurfuneralhome.com for the Gough family.