PETER GRANT GORDON

(November 16, 1933 – November 29, 2025) Peter Grant Gordon died peacefully at Headwaters Health Care Centre in Orangeville, ON, just before sunset on Nov. 29, surrounded by family and facing a vista of snow-dusted trees and fields. He had just celebrated his 92nd birthday. Until his last hours, Peter was as he had always been - curious, mannerly, appreciative, intrigued by the latest news and deeply interested in the lives and pursuits of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A lover of back-country lakes and challenging portages, Peter had introduced many of those descendants to the rewards of canoe tripping and the wonders of Temagami, and instilled a reverence of nature. He was vigorous into his later years, canoeing in the Arctic one summer, then in Quetico Provincial Park with two great friends also in their mid-70s. He tripped with one teenage grandson at 75 and another at 80. Few things made him happier than a walk in the woods on his beloved farm in the Mulmur hills with longtime partner, JoAnn Moysey. Or watching her tend the glorious gardens followed by a romantic supper serenaded by bullfrogs in his pond. Peter was a consummate gentleman who appreciated proper tennis decorum, firm handshakes and handwritten letters. He proudly declared himself "BBT" (born before technology) to bank tellers, sales clerks and anyone trying to talk him into an iPad. No passwords for this man. Instead, those he loved frequently heard his exuberant voice over the phone and found envelopes in their mailboxes containing notes with pertinent clippings from last week's newspaper. Peter was a seeker, maintaining an impressive collection of notebooks and highlighters for lines of poetry or morsels of wisdom that caught his eye. He loved sunrises from his front porch and sunsets over Lake Superior. He loved skinny dips, golf, and the thousands of trees he planted on his property to reforest the landscape. But it may be that Peter relished nothing so much as a well-told tale. He contributed more than his share from the head of the dining-room table, while performing with the Dufferin Circle of Storytellers, or with people befriended through chance encounters. He had the sensibility of a small-town newspaperman, drawing fascinating life stories from folks he met at gas stations, the next campsite, the end of a fishing dock, or diners that served decent pie. Peter was the son of R. Grant and Molly Gordon and was proud of his roots in the logging country of Renfrew County. As a young man, he suffered a loss that would shape his life when his father died suddenly, leading him to quit school and find a job to help support the family. He took an entry-level position at investment firm Nesbitt Thomson, then went on to build a successful 45-year career in the business, later co-founding firms Foyston, Gordon & Payne, Vantage Investment Counsel and Nexus Investment Management before retiring in 2000. He had a talent for friendship, staying in touch, showing up at both times of trial and of celebration. Friends still chuckle at the long poems he wrote and recited at birthdays and special occasions. He maintained lifelong relationships with people he met while attending St. Andrew's College and during his one year at the University of Toronto. After marrying his former wife of 42 years, Mary Gordon (née Nunns), his three brothers-in-law and the Nunns clan became an important part of his life and remained so until the end. He made new friends everywhere - through church, his book club, an amateur acting group, and many sports. He knew the names and stories of most staff and residents at Montgomery Village retirement home, where he lived for the last three years. Peter is deeply missed by JoAnn Moysey, his partner of more than 20 years. Also by his six children shared with former wife, Mary Gordon: Andrea (Jim Coyle), Gil, Grant (Gillian Deacon), Martha, Jeffrey (Patricia Stoop) and Heather (Patrick Dorkin). By his 16 grandchildren: Gilbert, Ben, Brady and Gerry Coyle; Rebecca and Lewis Gordon; Reggie, Harper and Miles Gordon; Keorapetse and Thato Molete; Lucas and Sabrina Gordon; and Kyle, Ashton and Clover Gordon. Also by his three great-grandchildren: Kayden and Ayvah Gordon and Hugh Coyle. Peter was predeceased by his parents; sister, Heather Brodeur; brother, Gerry; stepfather, A. J. Campbell; and stepsister, Susan Adair. He is survived by stepsister, Liz Crocker. Sincere thanks to staff at Headwaters Health Care Centre. A funeral will be held Friday, December 12, at 11 a.m., at Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. in Toronto, followed by a reception in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Yonge Street Mission in Toronto or Headwaters Health Care Centre would be appreciated.