John Henry Gill

Died peacefully in his sleep on January 17, 2020 at the Garry J. Armstrong in Ottawa.  He braved the losses associated with Alzheimer’s without complaint and was content in his final years .

Beloved husband of Sylvia Gazsi Gill, adored father of Alexandra Rockingham Gill (Michael Helm) and Peter Gill (Rhonda), and esteemed stepfather of David John Gazsi (Vicki Carlan).  Much loved brother of Diana Kirkwood and David Gill. Dear “Gilly” to his grandchildren, Sydney, Willem, Archer and Ollie, and cherished uncle to his nephews, nieces and cousins in the extended Gill/Kirkwood clan.

John was born in Ottawa to Vera Melissa Birkett and Henry Robert Thistle Gill.  Irrepressibly inventive, he was a great raconteur of the many adventures of his life.  His years at Ashbury College were relived with gusto at the Old Boy’s football game in which he played until the age of 60, and his education at Carleton University was cut short by his determination to realize his boyhood dream of flying.  

He was a bushpilot in the Maritimes and a pilot for Laurentian Air before becoming an insurance agent for London Life and settling into his first marriage, to Audrey Rockingham, and raising a family.  When he retired from London Life, some 40 years later, his integrity, passionate concern for his clients, and community involvement were recognized by the firm’s inauguration of the John H. Gill Award of Excellence. In his early 40s, John took up flying again, this time as an aerobatic pilot. In June 1988, he crashed his prototype Acro-Zenith when a new prop flew off 4000' over a field east of Gatineau. He drove himself to the ER on his motorcycle where it was determined he had nothing more than a small cut on his ear.

His second marriage, to Sylvia Gazsi in 1987, brought tremendous happiness into his life and set the tone for 32 years of travel, hijinx and adventure, a shared life full of music and laughter.  The cottage Sylvia and John built at Gull Lake alongside his siblings, was the happy gathering place of family, with nights of wine, bridge and storytelling, treacherous backcountry skiis, and in summer, G&Ts on the dock and ungainly half-gainers off the diving rock.

John was an amateur photographer with exceptional intuition; a skier of tremendous (and perhaps occasionally foolhardy!) daring, a lifetime member of the Royal Ottawa Golf Club, a fixer of machines of all kinds, a bridge player with a bidding style unmatched in its bravado, a punner and writer of dogerel second-to-none, a wonderful piano player who could not read a single note but had a distinctive touch with gorgeous warmth and swing. Above all John was a good, generous, kind, funny, loyal husband, father, brother and friend.

The family would like to thank the special people who enriched his last years, especially at the Perley Day Program (Carefor) and the 5^th floor at GJA.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, February 16, 2020 from 2-4 p.m. at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Ottawa Food Bank.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Ottawa Food Bank.  Arrangements entrusted to Beechwood Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Services.  (613-741-9530) Condolences and funny or heartfelt memories can be shared at www.beechwoodottawa.ca.