Leo Francis HABER

HABER, Leo Francis
It is with great sorrow that the family of Leo Francis Haber announces the sudden passing of their beloved father on Friday, August 1st, 2003 in his 85th year.
Leo Francis was born at home at 13 Schrotzberg Strasse in Vienna, Austria on April 17th, 1919. He emigrated to Canada in 1937 and attended the University of Toronto where he studied navigation in preparation for his first career as an instructor for the Canadian Airforce in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He built a very successful career in the insurance industry, first with London Life and then opening his own brokerage firm in Burlington, Ontario. As a young man he had wonderful racquet skills and for 3 years reigned as Ontario Table Tennis Champion. At a match on Toronto Island, he met his future wife and the cherished mother of their ten children, Patricia (nee Sullivan), who passed away in December 2000. Leo's affable and effusive personality was reflected in his communal involvement, serving on the Burlington Separate School Board and being actively involved in the Federal Liberal Party. He became a local legend at Cedar Springs Racquet Club, winning the men's singles championships for tennis in his mid- sixties against an opponent twenty years his junior. Above all else, his legacy is the love and warmth he gave to his large family, his inimitable spirit and boundless energy.
Dad's timeless spirit will be dearly missed by his ten children and their spouses and children: Dr. Richard and Patty-Ann (Dawson): Alexandria, Damian, Julian, Christopher, Daniel, Jennifer; Patricia and John Morin: Michael, Kevin, Matthew; Christopher and Irene (Dubrow): Andrew, Stephanie, Erika; Dr. Gregory and Michele (Sukornyk): Cleo, Jessica, Mark, Rebecca, Dylan, Alexandra, Austin, Blake; Rosemary and Murray McEniry: Adam, Aimee, Murray-Patrick; Dr. Marybeth and Dennis Gibson; Catherine and David Steuart: Christian, Alexander; Leonore; Paul and Erin (Rittich): Brenna, Andrea, Gregory, Matthew; and Peter.
His 29 grandchildren and 8 great- grandchildren (Zoe, Gabriella, Tobias, Declan, Juana, Ashley, Joseph, Jonathan) admired their awesome 'poppa', his soccer stunts, his chess lessons, his math wizardry, and his bouncing knee.
He will be fondly missed by his brother Dr. Julius Haber and wife Belle.
Visitation at SMITH'S FUNERAL HOME, 1167 Guelph Line (one stoplight north of the QEW), BURLINGTON (905-632-3333), Tuesday from 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be Celebrated at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Brant Street (at Blairholm), Burlington, on Wednesday, August 6, 2003 at 12 noon. Private interment. For those who wish, expressions of sympathy to the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation, 2300 Tupper Avenue, Montreal, Quebec H3H 1P3, Casey House, Toronto or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario would be appreciated by the family.