John Roger Chiles

August 1, 1932 – November 10, 2022

In his 91st year, Roger has taken his last (metaphorical) ride on his beloved bicycle.

Born in Birmingham, England to Dolly, a milliner, and John, a shopkeeper. As a young lad he was evacuated, or “farmed out”, during the war to distant relatives near Ludlow, Shropshire. Roger enjoyed telling tales of walking to school 5 miles through snow in “short pants” and of he and his buddies burning a dead tree during a blackout resulting in the fire department being called!

Roger studied mining engineering at the University of Birmingham. He used to recount stories of gravity surveys and other more unofficial escapades involving Old Joe, the famous clock tower.

Cycling was a central theme throughout his life. One memorable bicycle tour through the Black Forest scored him possibly his most treasured souvenir – a musical beer stein.

After university Roger took a job as an underground shift boss at the Tarkwa and Abosso gold mine in Ghana West Africa, in order to avoid national service. His friends wrote to him: “Don’t come back to England! It’s deadly boring – all we do is march around!” So he heeded their advice, stayed in Ghana another year and then decided India was also an interesting place to practice mining engineering. After a time in India he was off to Western Uganda to work at the Kilembe copper mine. An incident of getting lost hiking in the Ruwenzori Mountains might have been the end of him then, but he managed to find his way back to camp and lived to tell the tale! He later used his knowledge of Swahili to command his kids around when everyday English failed to catch their attention.

Having survived in several of the colonies, Roger decided to head to the wilds of Canada and boarded a ship from England. He landed in Montreal in 1962 and travelled to Labrador City to work for the Iron Ore Company of Canada. There, a minor accident landed him in hospital where he met his future wife, Jean Shea, a very attentive nurse from Newfoundland. According to legend, he needed someone to iron his shirts.

Apparently the arrangement worked out well and Jean and Roger were married in 1965. That same year, Roger was offered a job, which he would have until retirement, with Canadian Industries Limited (CIL), initially researching explosives in Beloeil, Quebec, and then designing and constructing on-site bulk explosives plants across Canada. One memorable side trip on a family holiday involved examining damaged boxes of dynamite in a railcar in BC – he must have thought it was educational!

In the mid-1970s, after living in Calgary for 3 years, Roger packed up the family (Jean and now 3 children) and whisked off to Liberia, West Africa for a two year stint with CIL at the EXCHEM plant to supply local mines with explosives. Lots of life-long friends were made and Roger was able to keep in contact with a number of local employees after the country’s turbulent years.

The family moved back to Montreal, then on to Toronto, and after retirement Roger and Jean spent many winters in Sidmouth, Devon. Roger used as much of his free time as possible cycling and walking. One of his favourite hikes was up Core Hill – family and friends sometimes joined him, although they could barely keep up. Roger was famous for setting a blistering pace.

Later in life he would enter the Barry’s Bay triathlon annually as the cycling anchor in the team competition – the much younger competitors would often get smoked, especially on the downhill! Every year he was celebrated as the oldest participant, once receiving a canoe paddle as a prize, which he thought splendid but wasn’t sure what to do with. Other activities like the camera club, horticultural society and euchre kept him busy, yet allowed him his afternoon nap, which he regularly enjoyed.

Left with great memories are his wife of 57 years, Jean (nee Shea), children Pam (Jeff Ackert), David (Katherine Vlossak) and Susan (John Artymko) and grandkids Sophie Ackert, Rudy and Alex Chiles and Rachel and Natalie Artymko.

Many thanks to the staff at Mackenzie Health.

A celebration of Roger’s life will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Salvation Army or a charity of your choice.

Jambo Roger

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kanejerrettnorthyork.ca for the Chiles family.