Jack was born to Claire and Fletcher McNally of Murillo. With older sisters Glenna and Fay, they were the third generation to live on the farm their grandfather homesteaded in the 1870’s. School was the one-room S.S. No. 4, where winter included skating at recess and possibly a ride home in the cutter. He loved the farm dogs, frequently naming them Mickey after a favourite aunt, and giving them rides behind his bicycle. Unlike his sisters, who had to board in Fort William, Jack benefited from the innovation of the school bus, attending Selkirk Vocational. His least favourite subject was typing, but he loved the trades, particularly auto.
After graduation he entered a mechanical apprenticeship at Kam Motors, which ended with a year at Toronto Trade School. Long before Uber, they would pile into taxis to get from the cheap rooming house in Cabbage Town to school in Kensington Market. He took his first flight, coming back to work as a journeyman mechanic for Abitibi at Raith. His career would last though Abitibi’s various changes, and he had different roles, ultimately landing in management. He was particularly proud of his work developing adaptations for the heavy equipment and reducing breakdowns.
Education was easy to carry,” he would say, and he learned from those around him, whether it was fishing with cousins or visiting Fay and her husband Keith.
Jack married Donna E. Orr on July 5, 1963; they first met at a dance in Kaministiquia in January 1961. Groomsmen were brother-in-law Reg Rosengren, married to Donna’s sister Joan, and Irwin Bruce. After an adventurous trip to the Calgary Stampede in a Chevy Bell-Air, they built a ranch-style home on the farm. Jack and Donna travelled more widely, driving to Vancouver one summer and the Maritimes another. In Kamloops he almost bought a horse at auction, by scratching his nose at the wrong moment. On a trip to Europe, he kissed the Blarney Stone; not a COVID safe activity.
On a spring day in 1977, brothers-in law Dan Calvert, married to Donna’s sister Iris, and Reg appeared at a Spruce River Road logging camp, to bring him home for the birth of his son Ryan. Three months later, driving to Oregon with an infant, he learned the value of air conditioning. For years, summers featured road trips. One year they might visit his sister Glenna and her husband Ivan Mongrain, in Toronto, or Donna’s sister May and her husband Ted Bssingthwaite in Edmonton. It was also a time to grow large vegetable gardens and cut hay, “to keep the fields clear”.
In his 40’s he learned to ski at Candy Mountain, before tackling the Rockies. With the forerunner of the GP group, there were “ski races” in the winter and golf tournaments in the fall. Year round, there were gatherings with the growing number of nieces and nephews, and then with their children and grandchildren.
With Abitibi’s dissolution of the woodlands in the early 1990’s, Jack became Road Superintendent for Oliver Township. Ryan, Donna and Claire, now widowed, were happy to have him home every night. At this time he and Donna also became more involved at Pinegrove United Church.
When Ryan graduated university in 2001 the well-travelled trio spent five weeks travelling Europe by public transport. Ryan married Juile Bryson in July 2004; Jack was surprised the tab for the open bar was not higher. Double-by-pass surgery in 2009, brought him back in contact with a number of Abitibi friends. When Ryan and Julie adopted their two sons in 2013, Jack was there to meet his grandchildren, Tyson and Evan. Now a sextet, they travelled to Scotland to celebrate Jack and Donna’s 50th wedding anniversary and Alaska for their 55th.
Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and his shared birthday with Donna and Ryan, was celebrated together, even when COVID made it a virtual event. He loved his visits to Belleville to see his family and play with the many grandpets.
Jack benefited from the marvels of medical science, receiving a TAVI in 2017 and surviving cancer in 2019. He was ever thankful for the work of many physicians, nurses, and healthcare providers. There was always something to which he could look forward, even if it was simply to be at home with his love. He never lost his sense of humour, love of singing (badly) and teasing those he loved.
A service of celebration will be held at Pinegrove United Church, Rosslyn, at 2:00 p.m on Monday, February 14, 2022. A visitation will precede worship and a reception will follow, held at the Murillo Community Centre.
Donations to Pinegrove United Church, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, or a charity of your choice are appreciated.
