Noel O'Brien

Wyman Noel O’Brien, age 87, passed away peacefully Friday October 28th 2011 at his home in Etobicoke after a lengthy illness. He was pre-deceased in 2005 by his loving wife of 57 years, Sadie (Ettinger) and his daughter Janice in 1972. Noel is survived by daughters Joann Draper (Toronto), Kathryn Hamel (Oakville), son David (Wellington, NZ) and grandchildren Kieran, Laurel, and Emma.
Noel was born in Alberta but grew up in rural Nova Scotia. He served in the RCAF from 1943-46 and married his high-school sweetheart Sadie in 1948 while attending McGill University (Montreal), receiving a degree in Mining Engineering in 1951.
Noel started his career in Sudbury, Ontario at the International Nickel Company. In 1952, he and Sadie moved to Thetford Mines, Quebec where he held several management positions at the Asbestos Corporation (1952-1958) and at National Asbestos (1958- 1966). In 1967, Noel moved his family to Toronto, working for Denison Mines, a large uranium mining company. He held a number of executive positions at Denison, being appointed Vice President of Minerals & Marketing in 1974. Noel retired from Denison in 1990, taking up genealogy and Nova Scotian history.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday November 1st 2011 from 2 to 4 pm and 7 to 9 pm at Ward Funeral Home, 2035 Weston Road, Toronto. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday November 2nd 2011 at 11 am at St. Philip’s Anglican Church, 31 St. Phillips Road, Toronto (with a short visitation at 10 am). Burial will follow at St. Philip’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ontario Heart & Stroke Foundation, or the charity of your choice. Please visit a book of memories at www.wardfuneralhome.com