Missing my brother always. The longing of not hearing your soothing voice is still here but the knowledge that you’re no longer ill helps a bit🙏🏾
Always,
Joe

My dearest brother I cannot believe it’s been a year since we lost you I will always miss you but God needed you to rest so until we me again love  always 🙏🏿❤️

We are so saddened to hear of Merv's passing and send our condolences to Elene and  the family.  It's not lost on me the length Merv went to get to dad's celebration of life in a snow storm and we were so fortunate to have him join us.  Dad always spoke highly of Merv and was proud to see him advance his career and take on the role with the CHRC.  As a kid, I remember his smile well and despite his stature he came across so kind and friendly.  He was truly a great man! There are many tributes posted on Facebook in a group called "Goderich: Whatever happened to ???. Where are you now??" that I bring to your attention as they are a testimonial to how much he was regarded, appreciated and loved in the community.  Holding you all in my thoughts and prayers! 
Mike and Carol King  

 Elene and family;  
I am so sorry to hear of Mervin's passing.  I do hope you are all doing well and celebrating his wonderful life and cherishing the memories.  I have so many fond memories of Mervin, Elene and all the family.  You were such good neighbours and cherished family friends.  Never to be forgotton!
Dave and Helen Graf, Goderich

Mr. Witter was a kind man and well respected and talked about for many years after his work in Goderich. I only knew him as my friend’s dad. My sincerest condolences to Kirk and his family. 

Our condolences to the Witter family.  Merv will be greatly missed by more than our little community in Goderich where he is very fondly remembered.   Dan Burns and Trudy Kernighan.

Elene ,so sorry to hear of Merv's passing. My condolences to you and your family from the Little's.  Brent

So sorry to hear of Merv's passing.I recall first meeting  Merv   in Goderich at  a G.P.H. ICU Christmas party,(what great  times we had !) during the mid 60's. The best thing that can be said about a man is.....that he is a good man.....One can certainly say that about Merv. May his soul rest in peace. Our thoughts and  prayers Elene.....and to your family.    Sincerely,  Jerry 




Our deepest sympathy to Merv's Family. I have often thought about Merv and how he was doing. He was a well respected Officer here in Goderich and was greatly missed when he left.  RIP Merv

Gwen Doak

I am so sorry to read of the passing of Merv.
Our families go back to the 60''s where Merv was also a soccer player on one of the Profit teams.  I got to see them few years back at the gate house at the old BWYC.  Was an amazing visit. Xo
Our condolences to all Merv touched. To his family love,hugs and prayers during this time. 
He was a wonderful man. 

My condolences to Merv’s family.
I met Merv when I was a young man in Goderich Ont. Merv was one of the town police officers. In my teens and early 20’s I got to know the local police very well for my speeding, booze other than residence and just plain mischief. I was on a first name basis with all the town and local OPP.  My dealings with Merv were always handled in a fair, honest and balanced manner. Merv was tough but he also recognized a good kid even when we were creating mischief.
I have often thought  about Merv over the years in a respectful way.
I would have loved for our paths to have crossed after he left Goderich. 
He was a good man.
May he Rest In Peace.
Dave Million

Even a month after his passing, I still can’t believe we had to say good bye to my grandpa Mervin.

My Grandpa was serious, stern, and could be quite intimidating to my brother and I as kids; my brother understandably so, because when he was 10,  Grandpa fired him from cutting his beloved lawn after a bad cut. Though, as intimidating as he could be, I learned early on that Grandpa was kind and generous with a strong sense of family and community; he was always to be respected. 

As we got older an event happened that completely changed our perspective about him; my Auntie Erica got married. The man we thought was serious and intimidating as kids; was the same man leading the electric slide on the dance floor. Smiling and laughing as he enjoyed two of his favourite things, music and dancing; and looked like the happiest man on the planet.

2020 was a terrible year in a lot of ways, but the silver lining for me was getting to spend more time with Grandpa, as I took care of his cherished lawn and garden from spring to fall. In the beginning it was a bit stressful, but I seemed to do a good enough job. That filled me with a lot of pride knowing how much he cared about his lawn. Looking back,  I learned a lot from my grandpa cutting that grass. Spraying off and cleaning the lawnmower was something at first I thought to be excessive; only to find that these small attentions to details can make a huge impact on it’s longevity. To always be aware of my surroundings as I would whack my head off a low branch from one of the trees in his backyard and that constant care and attention can bring the best out of anything, like his and my grandma’s garden. 

Thank you for all your wisdom, and kindness Grandpa. Without the generosity of you and Grandma. I can say with utmost certainty that I wouldn’t be here today.

Love you, and miss you Grandpa.
Rest In Peace.

My heart breaks for you Elene and your family.  You are such a happy loving family and your dear husband and father will be so very missed.  Sincere condolences to you all. 

Gone but not forgotten I remember when mervin was in Jamaica was a police detective working in Kingston when he visited aunt mag in miles Town hanover his grandmother I always wanted to be a police officer like my cousin but instead I join the army from then I kept in contact through phone calls and emails he was a good friend and a great cousin your voice is silent forever but your memory will live on rest in peace cuz ❤ 💜 💙 

I had the opportunity to learn and work with "Swerving Mervin" on the start line for many years. He was an example of a strong official with a sense of humour to keep us relaxed when meets got hectic. He held himself to high standards which included being very respectful to athletes and coaches.  He will be missed.

Condolences to the Witter family, from Carlene

Our heartfelt condolences to the Witter family on the passing of Mervin. 
We pray for peace and strength through this difficult time. 

Lambert & Joy Watson

Elene and family.  Our heartfelt condolences on the passing of Mervin. You are in our prayers. 

Tom & Rosemary Moffat

My sincere condolences to Elene, Erica and Kirk on the passing of your beloved Husband and Dad from my immediate family and our extended Reid family.  In times like this it's difficult to find words to express ourselves. May you all find solace and peace as you journey through this difficult time. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Cedric.

Mervin, you were one of kind. A fantastic neighbour for so many  years and a beloved friend. Thank you for always bringing a smile to so many faces with your love and humour. Mia and I will miss all the jokes, laughs and conversations we had.  
Fly high Mr. Witter. 

Our condolence to you Gloria and the rest of the family from Marlene and Orville.


May God continue to strengthen and comfort the family. My Uncle Freddie would always share fond moments about Mervin and his family. He will be missed by so many. Sleep on and please give my Uncle a hug. 
Love , Stephanie & family

You will surely be missed Uncle Mervin, Rest In Peace . 

Love , Janet, Carol and Grandpa (Colton)

My love and condolences to Miss Elene, Kirk, Erica, grandchildren and to all that loved Cousin Mervin, and from my family also here in England.I never met him, we only started communicating a few months now, my mother used to talk about him. A man so full of love for his people, always trying to keep family together. I thank him for his kindness and for sharing his knowledge in the little time I knew him
May God bless and keep him and continue to surround his family with love 
Carol.....Cousin from England

My dear cousin. I haven't seen you for so many years, but always looked forward to your lovely messages. Rest well, may God bless and keep you, till we meet again, you are always in my heart. 
Lots of Love 
Hope Hausherr-Kerr Switzerland




Mervin, you’ve been a brother to me from the moment we met. I truly enjoyed our blended family structure which allowed us to share both our families during the greatest of times  and through our losses which truly enhanced the fullness of our relationships.
I will continue to check in on your beautiful family so we can keep the chain strong as we built it.
Sleep on my brother until we meet again. It was an honor being considered a brother first by John and then by you. 
RIP🙏🏾
Brother Joe 💗

We always admired Mervin for his quiet disposition, a cop in Goderich whom even the young ones adored. He was so approachable & on a personal level quite hospitable. We are thankful to Mervin for the huge & vital part he played in giving us our Canadian experience & for being godfather to our daughter. May his soul rest in peace & may perpetual light shine upon him.

                                     Farewell to a Man of Class

It is with profound sadness I received the news of the untimely passing of my dear friend Mervyn Witter. 

I first met Mervyn on 19 June 1989 when I joined the Canadian Human Rights Commission, as a Human Rights Officer. Mervyn was the newly appointed Director of the Ontario Regional Office. We worked very closely together. He was a true mentor to me until he retired in 2008. 

Mervyn passionately promoted the view among his staff that "promoting and defending human rights was a calling and a privilege, not just a job." He travelled extensively across the province answering that call.

Because of the close friendship which we shared over the years, I also got to know Mervyn to be a devoted family man who loved his wife Elene, their children and grand children.  He also loved his church.  In this regard, Mervyn's life can be described as one of "service", service to his God, his family and his community.

Mervyn my dear friend, you have indeed fought the good fight. You  have finished the race. You have kept the faith.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord. Let Your Perpetual Light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.



Elene  & family,

I am profoundly saddened. Words cannot express the grief felt with the passing of Mervin, my sincere condolences.

As a Level 5 Starter (Technical Official) with Athletics Ontario (AO) and Athletics Canada, Merv officiated at local, provincial, national, and international track & field competitions. Over the 24 years I officiated with him, his passion for athletics never wavered. His gentle soft-spoken manner gave way to his masterful start commands while on the Starter stand. Behind the athletics scene, Merv worked on AO’s new harassment and complaint policies and procedures; and would later sit on the AO disciplinary review panel.  

Officiating with Merv was an absolute pleasure, no matter the level of competition. I will dearly miss his good-natured approach life, big heart, and a smile to match.  

Sincerely,

Lisa Ferdinand


I have known Merv for the better part of a quarter of a century.  We spent many long hours as starters and room-mates at track meets.  I will miss you Merv; for your quiet sense of humour, for your steady competence on the starter’s stand and for your comradeship.
Rest In Peace Merv, and God be with you.
Mi.me Stenson

My first encounter with Mervin was when I was 8 years old.  (approximately 69 years ago).  We lost contact for many years and did not make a new connection until about 16 years  ago. 

Since then, I came to look forward to our many phone calls: some personal and some concerning our " Mount Alumni Association."  He was a  friend and a  gentleman in the truest sense of the word, and I doubt if there are many men/women in our group who posses his depth of knowledge and his high regards for others. 

My family and I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to his family : on his  passing.  "We have lost our Moses."  May his soul rest in peace.


So very sorry to hear of Mervin's death. He will be sorely missed by many. During worship - Christmas especially - when Merv read scripture it seemed as if we were hearing the voice of God. Merv lived as one who believed in God. I pray he abides with God now still, in joy and peace. Deepest condolences to Elene and family. - Rev Michelle H.

Dear Elene and family,

Sorry to hear the news of the passing of your wonderful husband Mervin. I know it is very difficult for you and the family.

It’s hard for me to find the words that might bring you comfort at this time of loss…. But perhaps just knowing that l am thinking of you with sympathy and understanding will somehow help to give you strength at this difficult time.

Sincerely Doreen Valente

Beverley Witter


To :Aunt Gloria, Kirk &Erica, please accept our deepest condolences.
We’re saddened by the passing of uncle Mervin. 
His superstar smile and words of encouragement will always stay with us .
We will continue to pray for your family during this time of bereavement.May his soul Rest In Peace .
The Witter’s  and Crooks family.

Norma and I express our deepest sympathy  to Elene and the family for the passing of Mervin.

Mervin was  kind, gentle , caring and constantly spent is awaken hours trying to help improve the lives others.

We were planning to visit him and Elene before the end of this summer. However God called him home.

Rest in peace my dear brother Mervin, until we meet in that place God has prepared for us.



Winnie and myself are having a difficult time coming to grips with the fact that Merv our friend and  vacation partner with his wife Elene over eighteen years is no longer with us. The speed with which you left us is tough to take. Just the other day we were discussing our next trip to Blue Mountain in Jamaica.
I will miss your hearty laugh when we were together. I'll miss kidding you about the virgin pina colada which you always order for yourself when we buy each other drinks. I'll miss watching you  bargain when we shopped, you were masterful.  I'll miss the feeling of contentment when we travelled by car, knowing you were there to drive because you loved to drive, you were good at it and you never let anyone else drive. I'll miss watching you "drop legs" at dances; age never seem to slow you down. A good example of this was seeing you dance with Erica at her wedding. Watch the tape everyone. So many fond memories.
Anyway, we'll just have to say 'good bye my friend'. See you on the other.

Dear Mervin, I remember the first time we spoke, it was over the phone, I was working at the community publication, Contrast Newspaper, in the early 80's.  We then discovered we shared the same last name, we traced our family roots, and it was confirmed we were definately related; though distant as it might have been. Subsequently, over the years you connected me to more family members that I didn't even know I had.  So  "thank you" I learned a very valuable lesson from you about valuing family, and to love them without conditions; "no matter how distant, or how far the distance." I know how greatly you will be missed by your loving family, both near and far; no words can describe my heartfelt sympathy. I will miss sharing my gardening pictures with you on WhatsApp...so here's one last one for the road 

We met because of $.25 and  went on to become $1 million friends. We will miss you very much Mervin, your smile, your jokes, and everything that made you who you are. Rest in peace dear friend… Until we meet again. Our love to you and your dear Elene,Erica and her family, Kirk and George.

When we grieve for lost loved ones,we grieve for ourselves. Let us celebrate those who have gone home to heaven now know the full essence of God’s true love. Goodbye to you dear brother you deserve eternal rest.You cared so much for one and all.To have you I was blessed till we meet again dear brother rest well love always sister Joan 🙏🏿❤️❤️❤️

Your passing has left an aching void in our hearts.
Your  gentle spirit and your hearty laughter  are unforgettable.
Your  thoughtfulness and your willingness to help when necessary, are indelibly imprinted in our memories.  
Rest in eternal peace,dear cuz.
We will LOVE you forever.
Eulah , Bryan ,Karl and Paul Bent 

Mr. Witter,

It was always a delight to see you and your bright smile as we walked into Mount Ward year after year. 

You we’re always so happy and your spirit was so warm.

Praying for the Witter family during this difficult time. May God keep you all in perfect peace 

R.I.P. Mr. Witter 🤍

Mr. Whitter, 

I am so deeply heartbroken by the news of your passing. I feel like it was just yesterday you celebrated my wedding with me. I will continue to pray Elene and your entire family. 

Thank you for always being so kind, and warm to my entire family. 

May you Rest In Peace. 

- Christine Simons 

I am so sorry for your loss
I treasure the roses Mervin grew and shared with me
 much love 
Joanne

Mervin Witter was a remarkable human being  who touched the lives of  so many people with his  compassion, empathy . and  commitment to social  justice.  I will never  forget his hearty laugh and wonderful sense of humour . His indelible spirit will live on in all of  our  hearts.    Our condolences to the  Witter family. 

Sincerely, 

Kurt Lewin and Rosemarie Cameron 

OBITUARY

Mervin Lloyd Witter

July 28, 1939 – August 7, 2021

Cresmount Funeral Home - Fennell Chapel

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