Henry Lawrence

HENRY JOHN "Jack" LAWRENCE
WWII naval veteran
August 27, 1919 to October 18, 2016

Jack is survived by his beloved wife, Vandella "Van", daughter, Gail Lawrence, and her spouse, Henry Verrydt; Jack's extended family, Fred and Phyllis Letto of Perth, Ontario, and Jack's nieces and nephews across Canada.

Born in Harbour Breton, Newfoundland, to Captain James Price and Elizabeth (Keeping) Lawrence, Jack was one of nine children. Only five (including Jack) survived to adulthood --Olive Bungay, Dorothy Burton, George Lawrence, and Marcella McLennan -- all predeceased Jack.

Jack lived a full life and loved his family. When his father was lost at sea in 1935, Jack took a job to help support his mother and siblings; he shovelled salt for 25 cents an hour on Portuguese salt boats in Newfoundland. In June 1937, he got a job as Steward on a Newfoundland government hospital boat, The Lady Anderson, and sent home $20 of the $25 he earned each month. In 1940 (prior to Newfoundland joining Canada), he went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to join the Royal Canadian Navy as an Able Seaman where over the course of the War, he served on corvettes running convoys between Canada and The United Kingdom. He met Van after the war and they married in Montreal, Quebec, in June 1952. They welcomed their only daughter, Gail, some years later in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1969, Jack was honourably discharged as Chief Warrant Officer from the Canadian Armed Forces in Montreal, having earned several medals.

Outside of the navy, Jack worked in administrative positions for the Royal Bank, Bank of Montreal, and ATCO in Montreal. He even had a one-time part in a TV show in the 1970s!

In his retirement years, Jack loved to hunt and fish with family and friends. He enjoyed family vacation road trips in Canada and the United States. Besides fishing trips to B.C., of particular note was a 1990s trip to Sunny Cottage Heritage Centre in Harbour Breton (NL) with Van, Gail and Henry, to see the monument in memory of Jack's father and the crew of The Alsatian, who were lost at sea on March 3, 1935.

Jack loved music and any opportunity to dance, including the Atlantic Chief and Petty Officers Association reunions. He and Van moved from Montreal, Quebec, to Oakville, Ontario, in the 1980s. They walked every day to Bronte Harbour and made many walking friends along the way. Jack loved to chat and recount stories, wherever he went (sometimes to his family's good humoured chagrin). And from time to time, he would break into song (likely, I'se the B'y).

He was well loved and will be sadly missed by all of us.

We would like to thank the staff at Sunnybrook Veterans Centre for their kindness and care. Together we celebrated a private flag ceremony in honour of Jack, in keeping with his wishes for no funeral.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to any of these organizations:

Heart & Stroke Foundation


St. Michael's Foundation (Toronto, ON)
http://www.stmichaelsfoundation.com/ways-to-give/donate.html


Oakville Hospital Foundation (Oakville, ON)
https://ohf.akaraisin.com/Donation/Event/DonationType.aspx?seid=3028&mid=48


Sunnybrook Veterans Comfort Fund
https://donate.sunnybrook.ca
416-480-4483

c/o Heather Pristine
Veterans Centre LG05g
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
2075 Bayview Avenue
Toronto ON, M4N 3M5