Warren Peacock

WARREN JOHN PEACOCK
November 30, 1936 - April 18, 2017

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Warren, a loving and much loved husband of Debbie. They were together for 30 years. Warren will be sadly missed by his son Mark, daughter Marika (Sue), granddaughter Sadie, brothers Ed (Dorothy) and Leo (Cathy), cousin Jim (Mary), nieces and nephews, mother-in-law Eleanor, sister-in-law Dale, and many friends. He was pre-deceased by his brother Charles/Chuck and his son Michael. Warren grew up in Mimico, one of four boys whose mother raised them on her own for a few years while their father was away at war. Warren has shared his childhood stories of coal furnaces, outhouses, pumping water from a well, meager Christmases, being fully dressed in bed with his brothers and trying to keep warm, and his mother turning a storefront into a home. Also good memories of uncles, aunts and cousins getting together weekly, and his grandmother making lots of pies and donuts. And walking to the bakery to buy freshly made bread. Camping in Little Lake Park in Midland, and visiting the Martyrs' Shrine and Saint-Marie among the Hurons. He shared the experience of a stranger helping him to get home safely during Hurricane Hazel. Warren's family moved to Streetsville when he was a teenager. He was a good student who had skipped a grade in school. He was disappointed to have to quit when he was 15 years old and had to lie about his age to get a job to help with the family finances. His first job was as a teller in a bank. When he had young children, he took night school courses for years to become a Registered Industrial Accountant, later renamed to Certified Management Accountant, while holding down two jobs. He worked at Dominion Sash and did accounting for the Vic Johnson Community Centre. Warren made many friends at Mississauga Racquet Club in Streetsville where he played squash, worked out in the gym, and socialized. Some of those friendships lasted the rest of his life. It was through that club that he met Debbie. Warren was a thoroughbred racing fan since he was young. He went to the Queen's Plate for many years with a group of friends. The members of the group took turns hosting dinner afterwards. They did that from the time some of them had young children until just a few years ago. The same group sometimes went away for weekends to a cottage of one of the couples, where they enjoyed cross country skiing. Years later it became a tradition for Warren to be taken by his family to Favourites restaurant at Woodbine Racetrack to celebrate his birthday watching the races and placing bets while enjoying the buffet. For a few years he was part owner with a group of people of a thoroughbred racehorse. And then later another horse. When people asked him which part he owned, he said it was the nose because it's the first part across the finish line. Neither horse turned out to be winners, but the experience was exciting for him. When a trainer he knew through Oscar's Pub had horses running at Woodbine, Warren would place bets and watch the races on his iPad. Warren started a tradition that went on for decades. Each year before his birthday, he would buy a football jersey and have his age put on it in big numbers.Warren saw an ad in the local newspaper looking for people to work behind the scenes at Bramalea Little Theatre. When he got there, they needed someone for a part in a play and asked him to audition. He got the part. He performed in several more plays and did work behind the scenes as well. It was totally out of character and out of his comfort zone to choose to do something like that, and his family and friends were very proud of him.For a number of years Warren and Debbie belonged to a group of friends who called themselves Mes Chez Amis. They made wine together, had tastings comparing their wines with ones from the LCBO, and had dinner at each other's houses or planned an outing.Warren played the piano. For a number of years he hosted a Christmas singalong at home and played carols on the piano. Warren enjoyed listening to music and had a big collection of 78's, 45's, and LP's, many of which he recorded on his reel to reel player. Warren loved dancing, especially jiving, and was very good at it. Once a month Warren and Debbie went to a pub called Around the Corner where they met with the regulars and danced to the music of Kenny and the Angels.Warren was a good euchre player. He and Dale were always partners playing against Eleanor and Debbie during visits to Sauble Beach. It was an ongoing competition, and Warren had to be patient when we didn't always remember or heed his suggestions on the best way to play.Warren was a longtime employee and Controller at Rieke Canada where he made some lasting friendships. He was one of the last employees there as they closed their operations in Canada. When he discovered that he wasn't ready to give up the working life yet, he worked part time for several more years doing collections for Semple Gooder. After that, he volunteered to drive cancer patients to the hospital and was a volunteer at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore. He also helped Debbie put the Sunday bulletins together where she worked at the church office.After retirement, Warren enjoyed golfing, playing bridge, going on an occasional bus trip, and attending meetings to hear speakers with his friends at the Probus Club. Most weekdays he had lunch at Oscar's Pub and chatted with the bartenders and his friends who sat around the bar. Sometimes they played video golf. One year he joined the guys on their annual golf getaway to Batavia.Warren had a good temperament. He rarely complained or got angry and didn't hold on to resentment, guilt or regret. He forgave quickly and didn't hold grudges. He knew that no matter how bad things might be going for him, there were others who were worse off. He liked the song 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong. He often commented that he'd like to be around 100 years from now to see all the changes in the world. We are very grateful to the doctors and nurses and other medical staff who attended to Warren, to the caregivers and therapists through CCAC and to ones hired privately, and to family and friends who held us up with their prayers and support. A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date.