Paul Sidney Jarvis

He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his wife Janice Tober, sisters Elizabeth, Diana and Laura, brothers David (Carol) and Gary, as well as his many in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Paul was born on February 4, 1956, and raised in a little house in Transcona on Whittier Avenue East filled with his large, loving family. Built by his grandfather, the home held five siblings—Dave, Liz, Diana, Gary and Laura—his parents, Margaret and Sidney, and the family cat.

Living in such a full house meant that Paul often sought space and solitude. When he wasn’t installing his own electrical outlets in the house—to the great horror of his dad—he roamed. The railroad was significant to him, and he would walk or bike along the tracks for hours, happy in his isolation or joined by friends such as Georgie Poole or Randy Kramble—always mentioned with both first and last names, a reflection of Paul’s British sense of formality.

He was a tall, lanky kid with a goofy smile who loved to learn about construction, technology and aerospace. At one point in his childhood, he decided to learn how to make firecrackers. Ever methodical, and knowing that practice makes perfect, he went to the local pharmacy regularly to buy saltpeter—the oxidizing agent in gunpowder and other explosives—until, after many visits, the pharmacist finally asked why. When Paul explained, he was promptly cut off from his source.

Paul’s upbringing taught him to be strong and independent. His favourite saying was, “A man who pays his own way, stays his own man.” But when he did let you in, he was the most caring, warm and loving man you could ever meet. His lightning-fast wit, side-splitting humour and easy-going spirit were always on display.

Paul met his wife Janice at Actor’s Showcase in Winnipeg in 1981. They moved to Toronto to attend theatre school, where they forged some of their strongest friendships—with Vern, Pat, Phil, Lori, Marlene and David. Later, once back in Winnipeg, dear friends Susie, Sheri and Bharat came into their lives.

Janice and Paul married and lived in Toronto for about 11 years before returning home. Here, Janice’s family also became a part of Paul’s family—parents Ben and Helen, sisters Darlene and Cindy and brothers-in-law Greg and Perry—and Paul’s became a part of hers. Moving back allowed them to buy their first house in River Heights and, most importantly, to indulge their shared love of travel.

Because of Janice’s travel writing career, they were fortunate to share incredible experiences in destinations such as Istanbul, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Strasbourg, Hamburg and Berlin, staying in some of the best hotels in the world including The Savoy in London, Four Seasons Georges V in Paris, Raffles Istanbul and Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg. They saw the most fantastic sights and were treated to more than a few Michelin-starred meals.

Paul enjoyed his work at BellMTS and stayed there until the end. He loved to spend time reading history books, studying languages and having backyard bonfires with Janice, where they sipped on wine, listened to chill music, and talked into the wee hours about life with all its ups and downs, their travels and plans, and anything troubling them. Together, they solved the world’s problems and enthusiastically created movie plots that never went further than their backyard.

Paul also found joy in the company of friends, where laughter was boisterous and frequent. He loved music—from 60s sunshine pop and 70s Celtic folk to 80s New Wave, 90s house, and, later, chill lounge. Paul will be deeply mourned and forever loved.

Paul’s inurnment took place on Monday, November 10, at Green Acres, followed by a celebration of life at Rae & Jerry’s, where all enjoyed Paul’s favourite swirly sandwiches.

The family would like to thank the caring and compassionate staff at St Boniface Hospital’s palliative care unit.