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Article detail: first published on 12 January 2008; last modified on 12 January 2008; written by Joan Woo, Robert Funnell & Richard Funnell
Our father, H. John Funnell, was born Dec. 9, 1922, in England. He emigrated to Canada with his year-older brother & parents when he was 6 months old after his father's business failed during a recession.
By all accounts he had a carefree if modest childhood in a small town:
Ingersoll, Ontario. As a young man, our mother's recollections were that they shared quite serious religious leanings.
Our father was active in the scouts but was never an enthusiastic student. When WW2 came he eagerly left school in
Grade 10 in order to sign up.
He did basic training in the Maritimes, in the course of which he sent for our mother & they were married before
he was sent overseas. He saw several years of action in the infantry & tank corps, rising through the ranks from
private to corporal. Several medals were acquired in the process, including a Mention in Despatches.
Fortunately for us, he returned not too much the worse for wear physically, but a changed man psychologically.
All traces of religious leanings disapppeared in him & our mother, washed away by the war. It took him some time
to settle down into civilian life & he had a series of menial jobs. Nevertheless, he always provided for his
family & always kept improving his family's living conditions.
His daughter was born the day he shipped out the first time & they didn't see each other for 3 years. After the war, he rapidly acquired two sons, one & a half years apart.
He made a decision that the best way to continue to provide for his family & to develop his own potential was to become qualified as an officer in the army & to then volunteer for active service in the Korean War to put the qualification into practice.
On his return, he served at Headquarters in Ottawa & then as the Spare Parts Officer at the Ordnance Depot in Montreal. Nearing 35, he realized that, with his late start as an officer, he'd never reach a very high rank, so he resigned from the army in 1958. He gradually became involved in business with various partners & in various ventures. Having no real business experience & less capital, there were many close calls. Nevertheless, he always continued to provide for his family & did whatever he could to encourage all three children to graduate from university.
In later years, he was able to deal with a more genteel class of partner than in some previous experiences & he was able to give wider scope to his creative business instincts. He continued to work until the end and never did strike it rich, but he was almost always at home to help his wife fulfill her gardening passions.
Article detail: first published on 12 January 2008; last modified on 12 January 2008; written by Joan Woo, Robert Funnell & Richard Funnell
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