ROBERT POPIEL

ROBERT DARWIN POPIEL 1943-2026
Robert (Bob) Popiel, passed away peacefully on February 13, 2026, at the age of 83, surrounded by his loving family.

Bob is survived by his wife of 60 years, Janet Popiel his daughter Keri, and his son Brian and his wife Deborah. Bob is also survived by his sister, Carol Bullock (Ken) and his brother-in-law, William Isbell (Helene). He was a devoted grandfather to four grandsons who brought him much joy and amusement: Zachary, Caden, Jacob and Nicholas. Also by several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Mary, and his sister, June Isbell.

A devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend, Bob was born in Winnipeg. When he was thirteen, the family moved to Fort William. After graduating from FWCI, Bob joined the family construction business, Gateway Building & Supply, and from 1976 until his passing, Nor-Ont Supply. Over the course of his career, Bob oversaw the construction of thousands of homes in the city.

Bob and Janet were married on November 6, 1965, and spent the next six decades sharing a love of the outdoors at their camp at Pine Bay, criss-crossing North America to watch an endless number of hockey games and exploring all that nature had to offer. Bob was a great sports fan, supporting local youth hockey teams, watching high school sports, and later on, became an avid NASCAR enthusiast and Toronto Blue Jays fan.

Bob will be fondly remembered for his quiet grace, soft spoken manner and sound business acumen. A true gentleman, the only time he ever raised his voice was to politely object to a questionable call at a hockey game, a dangerous pass at a NASCAR race, or a pitching change during a Jays game. His unwavering support for family and friends will be cherished by all who knew him. His legacy will live on among those that he touched, especially among his grandsons, all of whom share many of Bob's wonderful traits. He will be greatly missed.

We would like to give our heartfelt thanks to the doctors and nurses who cared for Bob, especially those in the ICU who were so kind and gentle with him; and also the Bayshore staff, especially Brian, who helped him these last few years they always had a good chat every morning which he very much enjoyed.

Per his wishes, a private celebration of life will be held later this summer. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Bob's memory to the Northern Cancer Fund (https://www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca/cancer-donate), or the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada (https://www.heartandstroke.ca).

Condolences may be made through www.nwffainc.com