Terry L. Jorgenson, 69, of Thunder Bay, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 5, 2016 in St. Joseph’s Hospice.
Terry was born September 21, 1946 in Port Arthur to Paul and Beatrice (Poole) Jorgenson. After residing for the very early years of his life on Banning Street, the family moved to McKibbon Street where Terry attended school, first at Oliver Road Elementary and then Port Arthur Collegiate.
Sports were a large part of Terry’s life growing up and he excelled at many of them. His favourites consisted of baseball (where he made the All Star Team several years), hockey, tennis, golf (where he had an effortless natural swing), curling (where he Skipped his team to the School Boy Championship), football during his high school years at PACI and was also invited to attend training camp for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders. He came by his skills and abilities naturally as his mother Bea was often Female Athlete of the Year growing up. One, non-athletic achievement was his winning of the Teenage Safe Driving competition which he loved to mention any time anyone criticized his driving transgressions in later life. Oddly enough he usually didn’t mention writing a perfect Algebra exam or anything else that didn’t lend itself to a joke or funny story.
After graduation he embarked on his accounting career, first joining the Chartered Accounting firm of F. H. Black & Co. which became Clarkson, Gordon. It was here that he eventually met Rosemary Johnson and they married December 30, 1972.
Public accounting was never his final goal as he had his mind set on working for a manufacturing company of some kind either locally or elsewhere. When Shaw Baking offered him the position of Comptroller/Office Manager in 1972, he jumped at the chance.
He spent almost 29 years there and developed a close relationship with Sandy Shaw, the General Manager, due to his respect and admiration for Sandy’s business ethics and work ethic. Terry’s father had set the bar very high in Terry’s mind and not many were able to meet those standards. Sandy was one of the few.
After Sandy’s and then Terry’s retirement from the Bakery, he joined his wife Rosemary, in their accounting and consulting business, Scandcorp Inc. where he worked until his full retirement in 2013. As part of that firm, they opened, and he managed, the Scandcorp Employment Resource Centre on Alloy Drive for several years.
Over the years Terry was also involved in coaching T-Ball, volunteering as an advisor for Junior Achievement of Thunder Bay, board member for the Thunder Bay YM-YWCA, board member for the Thunder Bay United Way, and most recently as a volunteer advisor for the Enter the Den competition fostering entrepreneurship in local and regional high school students.
If asked, Terry would have said that his major achievement in life was his son Paul since he valued this part of his life above all else.
Terry is preceded in death by his father Paul in 1964, his mother Bea in 2011, his stepfather Cliff Robinson in 2008, his grandparents Peter and Hannah (Eggen) Jorgenson, grandparents David and Maude (Ingram) Poole, and his step-brother Doug Robinson. He is also predeceased by his aunts Ruby and Esther Jorgenson, Norma (Jorgenson) Hedley, Sybil (Jorgenson) Storey, Carmen (Poole) Shelley, Jean (Poole) Lehman, and Roberta (Poole) Callaghan, his uncles Arvid “Sonny” Jorgenson, and Edwin, William, Gordon, Russell and baby James Poole.
Terry is survived by his wife Rosemary (Johnson), his son Paul, brothers Jim (Diane) Jorgenson, David Jorgenson, sisters-in-law Cheryl (Johnson) Bickford, Kathy (Johnson) Smith, brothers-in-law Fred Bickford and Alasdair Smith, nieces Michelle (Jorgenson) Grant, Leanne (Bickford) Joseph, Kelly (Smith) Clifford, Allison (Smith) Labuschagne, Erin (Smith) McCarron, nephews Kelly and Cory Jorgenson, Sean and Robbie Bickford, and Murray (Hali) Smith. He is also survived by step-brother Robbie (Linda) Robinson, and step-sisters Peggy (Robinson) Brawnis, and Penny (Robinson) Belanger. Many cousins also survive.
Cremation and private family services have already taken place at WESTFORT CHAPEL, 420 West Gore Street, with Pastor Dianne Matson officiating. Interment will be at a later date. Should friends desire, memorial donations may be given to the Northern Cancer Fund or the Alzheimer’s Society.
The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Migay and staff of St. Joseph’s Hospice, Drs. Masoudi and Ramchandar and other specialists at Thunder Bay Regional Hospital and the dedicated nursing staff who cared for Terry during the last 4 months. Their efforts and success at keeping Terry comfortable was greatly appreciated.
