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John DAVIS Obituary
After a long illness, peacefully on Saturday, January 7, 2012 at the age of 82. Son of the late Mary Jane Butler & James Davis. Loving brother of Geraldine (Gerard DeGagne deceased) Bryan & Beatrice Davis, Ottawa, ON, Barbara (Charles Massicotte deceased) Jim Davis & Therese Cormier, Val d'Or, Quebec and Jane & Dale Mitchell Kamloops, B.C. Predeceased by his sisters Margaret (Charles Massicotte deceased) and Anne (Ron Hines deceased). Devoted uncle of many nieces and nephews and their children. Many thanks for all the devotion and time given by Cindy & Allan Massicotte, and all of the staff at Granite Ridge. As an Oblate, Father Jack was pastor in Annapolis Royal N.S., Sioux Lookout and St. Agnes in Thunder Bay, St. Joseph's Parish Ottawa, Happy Valley N.L., Pre-Novitiate House, Ottawa; Breen House, Toronto. He spent an extended period at Nova Nada, N.S. Waupoos Island, at Galilee Centre, Arnprior and Springhurst Residence in Ottawa. For the last number of years, he has been at Granite Ridge in Stittsville. Friends may pay respects at the Kelly Funeral Home 1255 Walkley Rd. (East of Bank) Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. followed by a viewing, including Prayers for the Dead at Canadian Martyr's Church 100 Main Street Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral Saturday to Canadian Martyr's Church for Mass of Christian Funeral at 11 a.m. Burial at the Oblate Cemetery, Arnprior. Contributions to the Alzheimer's Society would be appreciated.
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16 Entries
Mary Rose DeSordi-Ruggles
January 7, 2013
It's now the 1st anniversary of Fr. Davis' passing and sending mine and my family's (the DeSordi's) deepest condolences. Our family loved Fr. Davis. We lived next door to the rectory for many years and the priests dropped into our humble home like it was theirs. My mom always had a plate of spaghetti ready and dad had his home make glass of wine to offer. Such wonderful memories of Fr. Davis. He was man who truly brought the Catholic faith to all the youth in our parish and also to those of other faiths. He brought together the youth of all faiths at monthly socials. He had so much energy and enthusiasm as a young priest in Sioux Lookout, that he was always included in our reunions. He certainly was a mentor and a leader of the faith. Will always keep him in thoughts and prayers. RIP Fr. Davis. Watch over us from above.
Christmas 1986
Leonard McCarthy
February 26, 2012
My sincere sympathy and prayers goes out to our dearly beloved Father John Davis, O.M.I. and to his immediate family and dear friends. He was always a great Christian leader, a man of God, motivator and organizer in Thunder Bay of our St. Agnes Parish. I had the greatest opportunity to be his close friend and had been my Spiritual Director since the early teens and into my late adult life.
Father Davis organized numerous and ongoing work shops, fund raisers, adult and teen religion sessions, summer and winter sports programs.
His spirituality, personality had the most profound dedication to his Love for Our Lord, his personal faith by means through Passion of the Cross in his personal life, OMI Priesthood and Rome while serving in the most remote areas known to man and harsh weather conditions in such communities as Newfoundland/Labrador and Northern Ontario.
I would follow him everywhere he went. He would laugh with joy that I was able to track him down and he really appreciated my efforts. He was an excellent writer so we communicated via letters and spend hours on long distance chatting with humor over the phone. He had a deep compassion for family life and would always remind me a family that prays together stays together.
One of my many memories was that he sent my Family and I to Waupoos Island for two weeks and stay at the beautiful O.M.I. summer home. Another time he made arrangements for my eldest daughter Ashley as he presided over her baptism at St. Michaels Cathedral in downtown Toronto, same with my second daughter Caley.
Also at another time Father Davis drove from Ottawa to celebrate mass in Niagara Falls for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary.
Having so many affectionate memories Father Davis, you will be dearly missed, “His Lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler of many things, enter into the joy of your master.” A job well done Father Davis may you rest in the arms of your Savior.
Kevin McCarthy
February 26, 2012
Thank you Father Davis for helping me to not turn into a burden on society and taught responsibility and accountability. At St. Agnes (TBay) you guided me and showed me the way. That's how you rolled. Rest in peace.
Raymond Jr. McCarthy
February 26, 2012
Our sincere apologies to the Father Jack Davis family. I was very young when our family was very close to him growing up in Thunder Bay. I always remembered his stature! I never had the opportunity to serve for him as an altar boy at St. Agnes in Thunder Bay. Our family always has the kindest words to say about him. R.I.P.
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Phil McCarthy
February 26, 2012
I knew Fr. Davis while growing up in Thunder Bay. He was the pastor at St. Agnes Church and he had a significant impact on me, who I am and my having spiritual life I and my daughters have today. He was a reference for me for my medical school application in the early 90's.
Fr. Jack was also very influential in our spiritual community and made some great changes-Gold Rush Days, Pancake Breakfasts, Cottage getaways and being a leader and well respected pastor who cared and was genuine with a well positioned sense of humour and loving to laugh. He lovingly officiated at my wedding in 1986. I will always remember him.
Judie Prior
January 20, 2012
Father Davis guided me for almost two years on a weekly meeting basis during my conversion to the Roman Catholic faith. With our wedding coming up, I innocently asked, "Do you think I will be ready by the time Peter and I get married?" He gave that warm smile of his and said, "Judie, you were ready a long time ago. I have just been enjoying these inquiry dialogues we have had - no one has asked me more questions about the Catholic faith." One of our fondest memories was Father Jack travelling with us from down east to Sioux Lookout for a reunion. My heartfelt thanks to his family for raising such a fine man, who became a mentor to so many. His Christmas letters were always full to the brim with all his activities for that year. His life as an O.M.I. was daunting and rewarding. I count my blessings to have known such a wonderful person.
Petr Prior
January 19, 2012
My sincere condolences to the family of Father Jack Davis, I just heard the very sad news of his passing. Father Davis was instrumental in engaging the youth of Sacred Heart School in Sioux Lookout and making a positive contribution to the community. One of my fondest memories is the weekly trips to cut wood in Dinorwic to raise funds to build a church. He organized a social group for youth. We had a lot of fun at retreats, especially at the Clarke's camp and gained knowledge on being Catholic. I was fortunate to meet up again with Father Davis in Thunder Bay where he was going to marry us (Judie some 41 years ago), however, he got held up in his travels and Father Shea was there to marry us. Recently I attended a banquet in Oakville for our new Bishop, Douglas Crosby who worked with Father Davis in Newfoundland. He spoke highly of father Davis. One of my favourite quotes: “we make a living by what we get, we make a live by what we give”. For father Davis, he never asked for anything and he gave everything. A great man!
Frank Durante
January 18, 2012
Fr. Jack was a mentor for us students at Sacred Heart School in Sioux Lookout growing up in the 1960's. Him and Fr. Takach were a strong duo for the Catholic families in the small NW Ontario town. I remember seeing him in Toronto years ago. May he rest in peace.
January 17, 2012
To the family of Fr Jack we offer our heartfelt condolences. We never had the pleasure of meeting Fr Jack but felt we knew him from stories related to us by his loving sister Jane Mitchell. May he rest in peace.
Peter and Charlotte Siewert
January 15, 2012
FR. Jack influenced me greatly when as a seminarian/brother I spent a summer with him in Thunderbay and again as a priest in Happy Valley. I am thankful for his friendship and care and for the great impact he had with so many people; many of them from different cultures, including our first nations. I thank his family for supporting him all these years and assure you of my prayers for you and for Fr. Jack.
Sincerely, Frank Gibson, Halifax
January 13, 2012
On behalf of Helen Hickey and family from the Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador Parish we offer our sincere sympathy to Father Jack's family. Father Jack was a family friend, his kindness and support will always be remembered.
Peter&Diane Vanderwey
January 13, 2012
Rest in Peace Fr. Jack: We feel truly blessed for having had you as a friend and mentor to our family while at St. Agnes. Your visits were always welcomed and letters keepsakes. Diane & Peter Vanderwey
Suzanne Rankin née Lorteau
January 13, 2012
Our prayers go out to family and friends of our dear Fr. Davis. May the Lord give you peace of mind knowing he is now with the rest of his family singing praises.
As Jesus said, let not your hearts be troubled you believe in God, also believe in me. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to
myself, that where I am there you may be also. Amen and Amen.
Our fond memories of this special man will live on in our hearts and minds.
Suzanne (Sacred Heart Parish - Sioux Lookout, On)
January 13, 2012
To the family of Father Davis:
Please accept our sympathy on the loss of a dear, respected brother and uncle who we will remember in our prayers.
Donnell & Helene Hughes
Marc Vanderwey
January 13, 2012
To all the family of Fr John M Davis O.M.I.
Today I feel a great loss hearing of Father Jack's passing. As much as this sorrow hurts, there is a feeling of happiness and peace knowing that his suffering has ended.
My name is Marc. My parents, Peter and Diane, and our family was a part of the St Agnes Parish family in Thunder Bay. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate were the reason for the strong parish faith and following.
It was after the death of Fr. Denis Shea O.M.I., a parish priest at St Agnes, when I wrote to Fr. Jack, (in Ottawa), about my feelings of loss.
When Fr. Jack wrote me back, I knew that he was special. That is when we formed a bond and he became a big part of my life.
He was my great friend, confidant and spiritual advisor.
Although miles between us were many, we were still able to spend time together by writing, phone calls, camping trips and a trip to the Halifax to visit the Hines family. When the time came that he was no longer able to communicate, that is when the real sense of loss was suffered. I have thought of Father Jack much over the years but we never were able to connect verbally.....only through prayers.
Father Jack's love of his God, his vocation, his family, his Oblate family and all of his friends that he met along the way was the making of his complete life. Father Jack just loved. He loved unconditionally. What a gift.
Once he found out that he had Alzhiemers, he embraced what he had to do to make the best of something bad. He started writing everything down in his journal which were very detailed. He changed his diet, started on medication that was a challenging process and very time sensitive, continued praying for all of us and tirelessly continued to write letters to his friends and pen-pals to stay sharp(sometimes we would recieve the same letters twice) God bess him. He fought the good fight!
As time has elapsed, we are learning more about this devastating disease. I wish that we hadn't lost him so long ago but it is now comforting knowing that he is with his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and watching over us all.
The biggest gift that Father Jack gave to me other than his friendship was concelebrating our wedding 25 years ago. Father Jack being there was so special for Lysanne and I.
Thanks Fr Jack for all you have done for me. You definately left an impact on many over your years.
JD, I await the day we can meet again and I hear you say "GOOD TO SEE YOU!"
I love you and will miss you dearly.
Marc
Joanne Johnston
January 12, 2012
To the family and friends of Fr. Jack. I was saddened today to hear of his death but know that it ends long long suffering. Of anyone, he is with God. I am from Sioux Lookout and was a child and adolescent when Fr. Davis was first assistant priest to Fr. Shea and then parish priest with Fr. Takach as his assistant. My parents Les and Mavis Johnston were very close friends with him and he and Fr. Shea came regularly to our home on King Street near the church for supper and to play bridge. He was a regular to Furlane's Confectionery where he would get my Aunts Gertie and Rita laughing. He was very popular with all age groups and I suspect has many friends among fellow clergy of other denominations and in the town. He and my parents (my father was the writer) corresponded for years and years until Fr. Jack could not. He wrote to tell us of his diagnosis and later one of his sisters wrote to us to say he had been admitted to a home and would not be able to write again. Fr. Jack's influence on us kids from Sacred Heart School was immense. He came weekly to teach us religion over and above what the Sisters did; along with the nuns he taught us religious music and we sang all the various Masses. He loved singing and had a very good voice and he was so popular he even got the boys into a boys-only choir. He taught the boys about "the birds and the bees" when Sr. Germaine taught us girls the equivalent. He also introduced us to musical theatre staging various productions every year. My age group was in Grade 8 when he staged "Around the World in 80 Minutes" which was performed in the Knights of Columbus Hall (1960 I'm thinking). The kids in high school had the acting/singing roles and we Grade 8's were the chorus. It was a magical experience for us Sioux Lookout kids who had little to no access to theatre. Those same high school-age boys lived under his wing. One year, on winter weekends he took them over the unpaved, gravel, snow-covered road from Sioux Lookout to Dinorwic on the Trans-Canada Highway outside Dryden. They cut trees in the bush and eventually built a log church in Dinorwic. He said mass there weekly and ministered to all but he took special interest in the native community of the Dinorwic area. No doubt there are still people in and from Dinorwic who remember Fr. Davis very fondly. We heard in his long letters to my parents of his continuing ministry to native peoples during his career after Sioux Lookout including his years in Labrador. In those letters he agonized over the depth of the social problems he was witnessing and ministering to there. To all who were fortunate to have known Fr. Jack epitomizes the Catholic Church. For us who were pupils at Sacred Heart School and members of the Catholic Youth Organization and Sodality during his years in Sioux Lookout, we were lucky and are the better to have come under his influence. Sioux Lookout is celebrating its centenary in 2012. Most of us will be in Sioux during the last week of July and first of August to celebrate during the Blueberry Festival and to attend a high school reunion (a subset of which will be a Sacred Heart School reunion). With this news, we are in the first thinking stage of a memorial to Fr. Davis during that time. We would like Fr. Takach to know about it, his good friend/spiritual colleagues Sr. Germaine Zentner and Sr. Rosalie (June Lenzen) to know and perhaps attend. Once plans are made we will post them to this Guest Book. I have posted the obituary to Facebook as well as this memory of him. To his family: We have missed him for a long long time. To you, his family and his friends, "Glory be to God" as he used to say. We loved him very much. Joanne Johnston [email protected]
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