Joseph Michael McGrath

1925 - 2022

December 24, 1925 - July 27, 2022

Our dad is back in the arms of our mom, the late Margaret (Peg) McGrath who predeceased him in 2018. Predeceased by his siblings Bernard, Jim, Chuck and Bernadette; loving father of Mike (Cathy), Colleen (Tim), Chris (Jim), Joe (Jayne), Jim (Christine), Ann (Murray), Mary (Steve) and proud grandfather of 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren who lovingly refer to him as Papa Joe. Joe passed with family at his side at St. Andrew's Terrace. A heartfelt thank you to the staff of the Beechwood wing for their care and compassion.
As a young boy he cleaned stalls and milked cows for Lang's Farm and made deliveries via horse and buggy to customers throughout Preston for Rosemount Dairy with his brother Jim, made deliveries for Paetz Grocery on his bike and later worked for Kriegs Grocery. In 1939 as a young teen, he worked at Eastern Steel then enlisted in the Canadian Army during WW2 and was sent overseas. Upon returning he became a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 126 in Preston and recently became the longest standing branch member at 77 years. During his employment at Canadian Office and School Furniture, he played both pitcher and centre field for the company ball team and led the league for 3 years in a row with an over 400 average and was an avid baseball fan throughout his life. Later he was employed at Galt Malleable Iron for almost 2 decades. In 1969 he purchased a corner store at Sherring and Church Streets and became the shopkeeper for McGrath's Variety where children in the neighbourhood who are now adults, still have fond memories of flocking to the store to purchase their penny candy. In retirement he never slowed down. He joined the Preston Senior's Woodworking Shop at the Allan Reuter Centre where he crafted furniture and an assortment of other household items that many locals in Preston sought out to give as gifts. Famous for arranging bus trips, he regularly whisked his friends and family to Expos games in Montreal, excursions to Florida and annual trips to the American Legion Br. 777 in Jamestown, NY (Preston's sister Legion in the US). Joe was a member of the Probus Club, the Knights of Columbus and lifelong parishioner of St. Clement's Church.
He was a living, breathing history book of the Preston community and left us with so many wonderful memories. We'll miss that devilish smirk on his face, his dry humour, his stories of days long ago in Preston recalling antics with the friends of his youth and of course his "poker face". But most of all we'll miss the best dad and papa ever.
Funeral service to be held Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at 11 a.m. at St. Clement's Church, 745 Duke St., Cambridge (P), with interment at Parklawn Cemetery, followed by fellowship at the Legion Hall, 334 Westminster Dr. N Cambridge (P) from 1 to 6 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to Lisaard & Innisfree House would be greatly appreciated or a donation to charity of your choosing.