GRANT LECKIE GOODING

(May 9, 1928 – September 22, 2025) Grant died peacefully at Sunrise of Oakville, surrounded by family. Survived by his wife of 71 years, Carolyn (Carol) Mary DeRoche (née Logan); sister, Sheila Shirriff; children, Leslie (Chris), Catharine (Michael), Ted (Sarah), and John (Vicky); grandchildren, Alison, Simon (Charlotte), Ian (Morgan), and Robert (Kate, Preetha); step-grandchildren, Grant and Jocelyn (Adam); great-grandchild, Ocean; and step-great-grandchildren, Brynn, Graeme, Garner, Zoey, and Ellawren. Grant was born to Milton Eyre Gooding and his wife, Annetta (Nettie) Rome (née Leckie), while they were living on Toronto Island. Growing up in Toronto, Grant attended Blythwood Public School and Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute. It was in high school that he was introduced to Carol, a good friend of his sister, Sheila. After high school, he went on to study civil engineering at the University of Toronto, part of a small cohort among the returning veterans in the large post-war class of 1950. Many of this cohort remained lifelong friends. Grant began his career in 1950 at the Toronto Iron Works. Shortly after, he moved to Trenton Ontario, taking a position with the Central Bridge Company, rising to chief engineer. In 1954, Grant and Carol were married, and while in Trenton their family grew as they welcomed all four of their children. In 1960, Grant moved his young family to Oakville, to begin a career with Procor Limited. Deciding to further his education, Grant enrolled in part-time study at McMaster University obtaining a Master of Business Administration in 1971. Grant remained at Procor until his retirement in 1987, serving in various positions, including Chief Engineer, Marketing Manager, Vice President Operations, and Vice President Corporate Development. A career highlight was working with the federal government on legislation to simplify tank car registration across Canadian jurisdictions right down to the county level. When there was work to be done, Grant would be the first to volunteer to keep things moving. He is a past president of the Trenton Kiwanis Club and a former Trenton municipal councillor. He is a past president of the Oakville Probus Club, and a former tennis director of the Oakville Club. Until recently, he was an active member of his book club, enjoying the discussion and social aspect of the meetings. Grant was a fiercely proud Canadian with a wide range of interests and talents. He enjoyed family dinners, swimming in the backyard pool, family weekends, ski trips, reading, poetry, singing, tennis, and sailing. Among all of his family members, he is known for his humour through a plethora of groaners or dad jokes. When they became empty nesters, Grant and Carol indulged their mutual love of travelling. Destinations and trips were often adventurous and exotic, including trips to China, South America, river rafting in BC, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, ranching in Latin America, Caribbean sea kayaking, Antarctica, and Eastern Turkey. Notably, Grant was part of the first tourist trip attempting to fly and land at the North Pole. Grant enjoyed music and the stage held no fears for him. He played the gut bucket in the undergraduate engineer jug band The Four Flushers. Many friends' anniversaries or milestone birthdays were celebrated with a parody of Gilbert and Sullivan specially crafted for the occasion. In his final years, he welcomed new residents to Sunrise with a song of his own writing and would select a song to sing to other residents at their luncheon table. Until his final week, he serenaded Carol with a lullaby every night. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. The family offers grateful thanks to all the staff at Sunrise for their loving care. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Oakville Club, 56 Water Street, Oakville, on November 21, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The family welcomes all those who knew Grant or Carol to join us in this celebration.