John Derek Pugsley P.Eng.
(1930 – 2017)
Raconteur, Polymath, Early Adopter, World Traveller
It is with great sadness that the family of J. Derek Pugsley announce his death in his 87th year at Orangeville on Thursday, January 5, 2017 after a very brief illness.
Born in Montreal in 1930, Derek grew up in the Town of Mount Royal and North Toronto, graduating with an electrical engineering degree from the University of Toronto in 1952. Recruited by Canadian and US firms, he decided to remain in his beloved Canada and worked for over thirty five years at Canadian General Electric in management in the broadcast, mobile radio, central air-conditioning, information services, and corporate planning fields before becoming Vice President of Chubb Security Systems in Toronto. After retirement he formed Inquix, an information services consulting company, and became a well-known independent information professional. Derek’s interests were extremely wide ranging and embraced all aspects of knowledge, including humour, music, medicine, science, history and above all technology. He was famous for his wit, and infamous for his puns.
In Montreal in 1955 Derek married the true love of his life, Anne Corbett. They became devoted spouses, parents, grandparents and great grandparents, and were inseparable until Anne’s death in January of 2014. Together they raised five strong and independent minded children in Baie d’Urfe, Quebec, and Port Credit and Caledon, Ontario. Anne and Derek travelled the world together, embracing every continent and returning with endless wide eyed observations, stories and photographs.
Derek was predeceased by his parents, Edmund Lee Pugsley and Annie Margaret Griffin, and by his sister Joan Pugsley Mann. He is survived by his sister Linda Heron, and by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Derek was the amazing father of five children - Bruce (Karen 2010), Susan Boon (Paul), Judith Phillips (Bruce), Carol (Rose Marie MacLennan) and Joanne – and the doting grandfather of fifteen: Sarah, Colin and Rachel Pugsley; Alexandra and Victoria Boon; Ian, Andrea, Hannah and Isaac Phillips; Elizabeth, Amanda (Chris Legault) and Jessica Pinhey; and Joshua, Emma and Tessa Pugsley. Derek was the great-grandfather of Elliot (Ellie) Legault and (soon to be) Mason Legault, and their half-sister Kerri Madden. Derek is also fondly remembered by his step-grandchildren Jarrod (Lisa), Craig (Stephanie) and Adam (Laura) Boon.
Derek will be greatly missed by his sister-in-law Barbara Prinn and family, by close friends Claire and Graham Watts, by Bruce’s companion Deborah Mclean, and by an incredibly wide circle of friends gathered over his entire lifetime.
Visitation will take place at Dods & McNair Funeral Home, Chapel & Reception Centre, 21 First Street, Orangeville, Ontario, on Thursday, January 12, 2017 from 2:00 - 4:00 and 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. A Celebration of Derek’s amazing life will be held on Friday, January 13, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. in the Dods & McNair Chapel and will be available live streamed on video.
In lieu of flowers donations to Headwaters Health Care Foundation in Orangeville, to Westminster United Church of Orangeville, or to a charity of choice, would be much appreciated by Derek’s family.
A tree will be planted in memory of Derek in the Dods and McNair Memorial Forest at Island Lake Conservation Area, Orangeville. A dedication ceremony will be held on Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 2:30 pm. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.dodsandmcnair.com .