Martin R. Grimba

Martin was a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and friend. He will be greatly missed by Vija, his loving wife of 62 years and his sons Ivar (Krista) and Martin (Becky). He was the proud Opa to Valerie (Mark), Erik, Evan (Amy) and Curtis.

Martin was born in Iecava, Latvia on January 2nd, 1921. For the first 20 years of his life he was farmer which taught him the benefits of hard work and discipline. After having fought in WW2, Martin spend time in camps in both Germany and England, worked in the coal mines, then emigrated to Canada in June, 1951.

Remarkably, his future bride to be, Vija Kremanis arrived in Toronto just three days prior and they met at a Latvian social two weeks later. It was love at first sight for Martin, but Vija needed a little convincing. Persistence finally paid off and the two were married on September 11th, 1954.

Being a proud and self-reliant man, Martin initially took on a number of labour jobs when he arrived in Canada until he started his career in life insurance sales with Mutual of New York in 1952 where his discipline and the dedication to hard work learned on his farm paid off. His passion for ensuring his client’s families were properly protected against life’s uncertainties lead to him being recognized for his outstanding leadership achievements as top salesman in Canada in various campaigns. Eventually he was promoted to manager of the Toronto branch in 1961 and both he and his branch continued to be recognized for their exceptional performance and contribution to the company. During his 42 year career he earned the trust and admiration of his colleagues, but most importantly, that of every single one of his clients.

In his off time, Martin was an avid fisherman - all year round! Whether it was ice fishing on Lake Simcoe in the dead of winter or drifting for walleye on Sturgeon Lake, he was always looking to land the big one and he rarely came back empty handed!

He also loved to play golf, so much so that over the 50 years he played the game he achieved 3 holes-in-one and won over 53 titles at the Canadian Latvian Championships and Sturgeon Point and Flemingdon Park golf clubs.

Most importantly, he instilled his passion for fishing and the game of golf in his two sons and 4 grandchildren.

Martin and Vija also enjoyed their cottage near Fenelon Falls where they would go to find peace and relaxation (well, as much as Martin was able to relax). It also afforded them the opportunity to enjoy their favourite pastimes most every day.

The family would like to thank the staff at Leaside Retirement Residence and Sunnybrook Palliative for their kindness, care and compassion.

A memorial service will be held at York Cemetery, 160 Beecroft Rd, North York, on Saturday October 8th, 2016 at 2:30pm. Interment and reception to follow. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Latvian Cultural Centre.