It is with great sadness that the family of John Newton Okell announce his passing on July 10, 2021 at the age of 79. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 52 years, Sally Marlyn (née Lee) and his adoring children Stacey Maclean (Sean) and Michael (Tina Richard). Grandpa John will be greatly missed by his cherished grand-children Evan, Brynn, Sophie and Thomas, who were a constant source of joy and pride.
Born August 27th, 1941 in Altrincham, England, John was the eldest son of Alfred (“Ronald”) and Patricia (née Newton), both predeceased. His younger brothers Peter (Jill) and Patrick (Nien, predeceased) will also mourn his passing. In addition to his family, he leaves behind a group of very close and loving friends.
John graduated from London University with a degree in geology after which he travelled throughout Europe and Africa, working as a geologist. He immigrated to Canada in 1965 and continued to work as a geologist. Shortly thereafter, he met Sally and they married in 1969. The young couple soon settled in the town of Hanmer, Ontario where they built their life together and raised their children. John was a very active and involved community member, having served as councillor for the town of Valley East for 19 years. He was instrumental in spearheading many initiatives, among which is included the establishment of the Valley East Sports Complex and the soccer fields. John worked at Inco (Vale) in Technical Services and retired in 2001 after 30 years as Chief Mine Engineer at Garson Mine. He and Sally have travelled to Orlando, Florida every winter since 2003, where they created memories that his family will always cherish.
An avid and talented gardener, John spent countless hours in his meticulous and beautiful yard. As such, in lieu of donations or flowers, the family requests that you plant something in John’s honour. Another fitting tribute would be to enjoy a game of golf, a sport that brought him years of happiness and pride, whether he was playing the game with friends or cheering on his grandson Evan. The family wishes to thank the staff at the Northern Cancer Foundation for their kindness and care, with a special thank you to Serena Saini and Erin Lafond who made John smile during his battle, as well as John’s brother Pat, who helped care for him until the very end. An intimate celebration of John’s life will be held at a later date.