PAUL BAMFORD CROWLEY, P. ENG. -

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PAUL BAMFORD CROWLEY, P. ENG. 1925 - 2010 Died peacefully on Monday, October 18, 2010 at the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. He was the best of men: a gentleman of integrity and ethics who inspired and influenced three generations. Predeceased by his parents Peter and Mabel, parents-in-law Ed and Margaret Graydon, stepmother Karin Graydon and his sister Mary-Ellen, he is survived by his beloved wife Maureen, children Christine (Angus), Kathleen, Maureen (Bob) and Paul (Wendy), grandchildren John-Paul (Mari) and David (Noriko) Anderson, Richard, Susanna and Alexandra Kubik, Jacqueline (Brent), Michael and Paula Mountford, and Lauren (Kevin), Graydon and Erin Crowley; great-grandchildren Kai, Joshua, Emerson, Loghan and Owen, step-grandchildren David, Daniel and Clayton; siblings Peter and Margaret as well as much loved nieces, nephews and cousins. Raised in Winnipeg, Paul graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1948 and had a successful career as a metallurgical engineer, retiring as President of Babcock Wilcox Refractories in 1985. He was first and foremost a family man, loving and supporting unconditionally. He had a wonderful 61 year marriage with his soul mate Maureen and shared with her the joys of family and a wide circle of friends as well as an abiding faith. In their retirement years, they travelled, golfed, played bridge and made music together as members of the Ennisclare Singers. For 50 years, they enjoyed summers at the family cottage in the Haliburton Highlands where Papa' taught his children and grandchildren to marvel at nature, respect the environment, straighten bent nails and make funny birdcalls. He loved to fish and untangle lines. His greatest joy was to have all his family around the dinner table, talking, laughing and making bad puns. He encouraged his children to pursue their dreams and was proud of his family's successes in school, art, inventing, writing, professional hockey, competitive snowboarding and entrepreneurial business. He was loved and respected not only by his own children and grandchildren, but by their friends as well. Paul was a devout Catholic, active in St. Dominic's Parish in Oakville, as a Eucharistic Minister and member of the choir, and member of the Knights of Columbus. He had a soft spot for the vulnerable and less fortunate and supported many causes; in his last year he continued to volunteer at the Good Shepherd shelter in Hamilton. Paul received the Centennial Award for Community Service from the Premier of Ontario. In community legacy, he co-founded the Golden Horseshoe Invitational Hockey Tournament and was a member of the Halton Region Conservation Foundation responsible for the construction of the Crawford Lake Indian Village and Conservation Centre. He chaired the Burlington boards of the Canadian Cancer Society and Junior Achievement. For the past 20 years he led the woodworking group at Ennisclare, making hundreds of wooden toys each year for needy children. Paul Crowley was an amazing husband, father and grandfather. His family cherishes the wonderful traditions, experiences and memories he has given them. That they attribute their successes to his influence and strive to be more like him is his greatest legacy. Visitation will be held at the Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home, 64 Lakeshore Road West (one block east of Kerr, 905-844-2600), Oakville on Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 23, 2010 at Saint Dominic Roman Catholic Church, 2415 Rebecca Street, Oakville. Interment Trafalgar Lawn Cemetery, Oakville. The family is in the process of establishing the Paul B. Crowley Foundation for Elder Medicine with a view to creating more awareness of the needs of aging patients and supporting scholarship in this field. In lieu of flowers, you may make donations to a trust account that has been established at the Royal Bank, 22 Main St. E., Huntsville, ON P1H 2C9. Email condolences may be made through www.koprivataylor.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 21, 2010