Arthur Matti PELTOMAA

PELTOMAA, Arthur Matti
Departed suddenly, while taking a walk, on March 4, 2001. Born in Finland and most recently a resident of Barry's Bay, Ontario, he was at various times in his 79 years, an artist, union organizer, land surveyor, furnituremaker, college teacher, politician, businessman and dreamer. Having left school at age 14 to work in Northern Ontario's logging camps, he returned after W.W. II service, completing grades 9 through 13 in nine months. By that time married and with a young and rapidly expanding family, he enrolled in engineering at McGill University and later attended the Ontario College of Art, but was unable to complete either program for financial reasons. Happiest when working with his hands in creative ways, the constants in his life included: support for free public health care, work-place democracy and higher taxes for the wealthy; disdain for phoniness, bigotry, the British Monarchy and all other forms of inherited privilege; and, through thick and thin, love of the Toronto Blue Jays, a spirited debate and a good cold beer (or, failing that, a good warm one). His 15 minutes of greatest fame came in 1981, when CTV News mistakenly announced that he had been elected to the Ontario Legislature, defeating the favourite, a rookie PC candidate named Mike Harris. In fact, he had been soundly trounced. Art's business ventures were always long on vision and creative energy, but ultimately short on profits, due largely to his inability to lay off employees whose services were no longer required, especially if they were young or old or had families. He will be much missed by his loving wife, Rita, by his eight children, Gail Bates (George) of Burnaby, Terry Fleckney (Gerry) of Lethbridge, Jane Percival (Bruce) of Ottawa, Arthur Peltomaa (Sarita) of Toronto, Kathy Lewis (Barry) of Hamilton, Ron Peltomaa (Mariko) of St. Catharines, Patti Arbon (Craig) of Waterloo and Robin Neal (Stephen) of St. Catharines, and by his seventeen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Sylvia, and by grandchildren, Brandon and George. At Art's request, there will be no services. Those wishing to commemorate him as he would surely have approved may make a donation to the New Democratic Party.