Robert Giel

Robert Giel, affectionately known as 'Unreal Giel', 'Hacksaw' and 'Gielzilla', died on August 1, 2018 after fighting a courageous battle with cancer. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family.

Rob was a devoted husband and father, and an incredible role model to his four children, never missing a sports game, art show or musical performance. He was an absolute warrior, overcoming many health problems over the years. Rob lived life to the fullest and loved traveling, schooling his children at board games, endlessly repeating corny dad jokes, experimenting with new gadgets, falling asleep in front of the tv, rocking ridiculously patterned ties, and eating orange and vanilla flavoured desserts.

After forays in a variety of different positions at SPAR Aerospace, Northway-Gestalt, Skil Tools, Classic Bookshops and WHSmith, Rob found his true calling as a small business teacher at Humber and Seneca Colleges. He then found his true home at St. Andrew's College as an accounting and economics teacher extraordinaire where he taught for over twenty-five years.

Rob joined St. Andrew's in 1990, beginning as a teacher in the business school, then as Head of Business Studies starting in 2011. Robert's passion for his subject was well-known; he got a true sense of satisfaction when former accounting students called to say they had earned their professional accounting designation.

Many students will remember him as Housemaster of Macdonald House, a position he held from 1996 to 2001. During these years he lived on campus with his wife, Kathryn, as they raised their four children. Some of his fondest memories included time spent in Macdonald House, flooding the rink on the triangle after lights-out, and watching the boys play hockey after school from his office window.

He coached numerous sports teams over the years including hockey (1990-1996), volleyball (1991-1999), junior golf (1994-2002), and senior golf (2003-2015). He also served as a Reserve Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, acting as an instructor with the St. Andrew's College #142 Highland Cadet Corps from 1991 to 2008. From 1996 to 2015, he acted as a coordinator and mentor for many club activities including DECA regional, provincial, and international competitions. Under his tutelage, the DECA students won many accolades, the highest a third-place finish at the DECA Quiz Bowl held in California, as well as an individual second-place finish in Utah.

Robert retired in June 2017.

He is survived by his wife of forty-one years, Kathryn, and his children: Arwen and her partner Julian; Duncan, his wife Danielle, and Baby Banana due in October; Meredith and her husband Geoff; and Madeline and her partner Michael. He is also survived by his brother Richard and sister Rosemary.

In words from his favourite book, "well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the Sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-earth. Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil". – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Visitation will be held at Thompson Funeral Home in Aurora on Tuesday, August 7 from 6:00-8:00pm. A Memorial and Celebration of Life will be held at the St. Andrew's College Memorial Chapel on Wednesday, August 8 at 2:00pm with a reception to follow.

Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to the St. Andrew's College Foundation to establish the Robert Giel Accounting Prize: www.sac.on.ca/page/support-sac/donate-now (select In Memory of Robert Giel from the dropdown menu).