In Memory of

Timothy

John

Metcalfe

Obituary for Timothy John Metcalfe

On Monday January 16, 2023 at Ross Memorial Hospital Lindsay, Timothy John Metcalfe completed his Journey Through Life on a ‘Path Less Trodden’, quite suddenly and with little notice or fanfare as was Tim’s way but not unexpectedly given his recent diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, at the age of 70.

Tim’s Journey started in Peterborough where he reluctantly completed all compulsory public & secondary schooling. In the early 70’s he worked at Outboard Marine, as was the family tradition, in various departments and capacities including being a Certified Chainsaw Test Mechanic and Operator. This was a position that required him to go out in the middle of winter and test chainsaws by cutting through the ice on local lakes. Yes, definitely starting down a ‘Path Less Trodden’!

At the same time Tim was developing an interest in heavy machinery, being given the opportunity to operate trucks / dump trucks / dozers / etc. through friends from high school. In the late 70’s he went to college and became a Heavy Equipment Mechanic working at Blackwood Hodge in Toronto, at the time the largest supplier in the world of heavy equipment to the mining and construction industries. While this would not always be his vocation, it was always a passion and he still has a massive collection of tools to prove it.

The early 80’s saw a complete change in direction in Tim’s working career, going back to college for IT degrees in ‘Electronic Engineering’ and ‘Data Transmission & Communications’ followed by a 30-year IT service career working for companies including TELUS (Imperial Oil) / Blackbox / Glentel / Bell (Manulife) while living in Toronto / Edmonton / Ottawa / Toronto (again) / Peterborough (again) / Ancaster.

This was briefly interrupted in 2010 with 3 years as General Manager of Mancom Manufacturing Inc in Ancaster, supplier of automated target training systems & advanced targeting systems to the world-wide firearms community from manufacturers to users including police departments, the military, and the FBI.

Tim semi-retired to the Bobcaygeon area in 2018, hoping to combine his love of ‘The Cottage Life’ with the part-time operation of dozers / backhoes / etc. Tim had a life-long love of the outdoors – golfing / hunting / fishing / snowmobiling / ATVing / cottaging – and all the friends and prerequisite beverages that accompanied those activities! His second home was always the Roininen cottage on Cavendish Lake.

Tim said that his biggest regret was not settling down and raising a family as his siblings had done. However, his resulting independence allowed Tim the opportunity to be a great friend to so many, something that he enthusiastically embraced. Predeceased by his parents, Ruth and Al Metcalfe, and his grandparents, Nancy and Stan Lamb, Tim will be dearly missed by sister and second mother, Martha Roininen (and husband Gary), brothers Scott (and wife Wendy) and Mark (and wife Wendy), adored nieces and nephews Megan (Alex), Samantha (Alex), Jennifer (Scott), Scott, Summer (Peter), Landon (Stephanie), Tai Lee, Matthew (Meghan), and more extended family and friends than could ever be listed here ……. You all know who you are!

Tim has been cremated per his wishes (who knew a premium beer was included in that service) and awaits the final leg on his ‘Path Less Trodden’ to the Verulam Cemetery in Bobcaygeon where he will be interred with a ‘Celebration of Life’, that to take place in late May / early June with details to follow.