Jack Carmen King

JACK CARMEN KING of Thornhill, passed away peacefully July 28th, 2016 at the Mackenzie Health Centre in Richmond Hill after a long brave battle with Pulmonary fibrosis. Born in Magnetawan, Ontario on July 27th, 1931 to Archie and Lillie (Morris) King, Jack grew up in Magnetawan and married his childhood sweetheart Willa on August 4th, 1951. Jack and Willa lived their entire working life in Toronto including their first house in Rexdale and later their longtime residence in Willowdale. Jack spent many years in the hardware industry. He touched many lives in his career with companies such as White Hardware, Bannister & Jenkins Home Hardware and later on his own as a manufacturer’s agent where he was a founding member of the Housewares and Hardware Independent Representatives of Canada. He deeply valued his many longtime friendships in the industry and always looked forward to inspecting inventories, making sales calls and attending hardware shows that might have been a chore to some. He still worked into his 80s as a labour of love rather than money and saw the value of every product given the right customer and his many varied collections provided ample evidence of this fact. Another of his passions was the family cottage on Lake Cecebe near his childhood home. He and Willa built the cottage in 1961 and the subsequent bunkie and barn and loved their time there above all else. He was most happy working around the cottage and many remember large gatherings of waterskiing, barbeques and Jack playing campfire songs. He was a founding member of the Cecebe Waterways Association and loved the shared improvement projects, corn roasts, and fellowship and was greatly saddened not to be able to make one last Regatta this weekend. Jack King is survived by his wife, Willa (née McLachlan), his son John, and daughter-in-law Lisa (nee Sprostranov), and their boys Thomas and Matthew who were the joy of “Grandpa Jack’s” life. He was always proud to talk of the boys' school and hockey achievements and they were in his thoughts to the end. He is survived by his brother, Ray King of Magnetawan, sister Viola Peters of Barrie is deceased and he has many nieces and nephews that will remember special times with Uncle Jack. His family and friends send special thanks to his many doctors and caregivers that supported him and many who became friends, if only for too short a time. Family will receive condolences on Monday, August 1st,2016 from 4 to 8 pm at R. S. Kane Funeral Home, 6150 Yonge Street (at Goulding, south of Steeles), Toronto followed by the funeral on Tuesday, August 2nd at 1:30 pm at Thornhill United Church, 25 Elgin Street, Markham. The will be a graveside Memorial Service at the Magnetawan Cemetery on Wednesday, August 3rd at 1:00 pm, all family and friends are welcome and casual or cottage attire will be welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations to either West Park Healthcare Centre or the Canadian Lung Association would be appreciated. Condolences may be made at www.rskane.ca