Connor John Watkins Page

We said our final goodbyes to Connor at home on October 10th, 2024, at the young age of 41, with his wife and two brave boys at his side, his mum and sister nearby. He wanted his last moments to be remembered by his sons with joy and comfort; and they spent the days with him being silly, at times scared, but most importantly, being themselves. Connor graced us with a view of the Northern Lights that evening. Connor is survived by his wife and partner of nearly 20 years, Jen Lovrics, his sons Finnigan (6) and Carter (4), his mother Mary-Jean, sister Maggie Dunnett (Sean), nephews Liam and Ethan, in-laws Katy and Joe Lovrics, sister-in-law Emily (Dave Bennett) and countless extended family and friends. He was predeceased by his father Chris Page, whom Connor so admired and loved.

Connor grew up in Ayr, ON a small town near Cambridge. He excelled as a student (begrudgingly, with little effort) and in sport, baseball being his favourite. He studied commerce at Queen's University where he met many of his closest friends and his wife and best friend, Jen. He completed his CPA before ultimately joining his family business alongside his sister and dad. He loved working with his family and grew closer to his sister, something he cherished. Connor had a way of making those around him laugh and his vulnerability made him a quick confidante to many. He was always true to himself, whether it be his "garbage chic" style, his energetic dance moves, or his over-the-top love of the Blue Jays. He loved watching a British crime show with Jen after the rest of the house was asleep and loved the holidays, especially Christmas.

Connor was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 2022. He faced his cancer head on, lifting weights in hospital, ordering his "dream car", taking up skiing, skating and running, going on outings with the boys and most importantly, being present every day. He never asked the prognosis and his approach to treatment was "no stone unturned". His doctor recently said to him: "You told me from day 1 about how you would fight and that you did. In my 10 years of practice, I can't recall someone who battled with such grace and optimism."

Prior to his diagnosis, and despite success in business, Connor often wondered what his purpose was in life. After his diagnosis, it was immediately clear to him that it was being a dad to his two young boys, which he did with every ounce of himself, until his last breath. He may not have realized it, but there was also a broader purpose that he shared with all of us. He taught us to find light in darkness, to make the most of life's moments, big and small, and to be kind and gracious in the face of the most difficult of diagnoses. He was often referred to as remarkable in his physical response to treatments and recovery from infections, but what's most remarkable was his mental and emotional strength.

Throughout his journey, it was so important to Connor to help others with pancreatic cancer. He benefited greatly from participating in a clinical trial, which gave us six months of "normal", and he helped others to get access. As a testament to his courage and kindness, Connor devoted some of his final conversations to his vision for a legacy fund. We are setting up the Connor Page Fund for Improved Access to Clinical Trials together with Pancreatic Cancer Canada, where we will share, as he so aptly called it, Connor's "Playbook" for navigating clinical trials and hope to support others for years to come. We graciously ask, if you are able, that you consider donating to this cause in lieu of flowers: http://donate.pancreaticcancercanada.ca/goto/connorpage.

We would be remiss not to say a special thank you to Connor's medical team, who cared for him with humanity and compassion, including the teams at Mount Sinai (Drs. Quinn, Siemens, Toor, RN and sister-in-law Emily Lovrics), Princess Margaret (Dr. Knox, RN Shari Moura, RN Monica Ku, RT Joanna Javor), St. Mike's (Drs. Mosko and May), Dorothy Ley (Dr. Toupin and the nursing team, Kathlyn, Kalika, Natalia) and his kind PSW Chris Revelo.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the coming weeks, which Connor asked to be a time of joy and sharing memories with Finnigan and Carter. It has been an absolute honour and privilege to be Connor's partner in life. I will live the way he has shown me, prioritizing what matters most - love, health and happiness - every day, together with our boys and his memory by my side, always.