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George B. Turnbull
September 7, 1927 - April 16, 2015
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<div itemprop="description">GEORGE B. TURNBULL, Order of Ontario <br /> <br />In loving memory of George Beverely Turnbull who passed away peacefully on April 16, 2015. He was 87 years old. <br />George is sadly missed and survived by his children, Deborah, Greg (Shirley), Tim (Christine) and Ruth (Rick Scully) and nine grandchildren: George and Audrey; Tyler (Jennifer Swales and great granddaughter Isabel Mary Turnbull), Lauren and Fraser; Matthew and Megan; and Sarah and Adam Scully. Predeceased in 2005 by his wife Mary (Gregory), who was his soul mate for 55 years. Also missed by his partner, Anna Mirrette Darling and her family. <br />Born in Windsor on September 7, 1927 to George and Mable Turnbull, George was the youngest of four brothers (Charles, Russell and Jack, all predeceased), George led the student council, cadet corps and captained the championship football team at Walkerville Collegiate. At the University of Western Ontario, from which he graduated with an HBA in 1949, George was president of the student council and an all-star end on the Mustangs football team. Upon graduation, he was named to the Arts and Science Honour Society and elected permanent class president. <br />George and Mary wed in 1950, moving to Toronto. Their marriage was filled with love and joy. George first worked in the automotive industry, later in pensions and benefits and finally in investment counselling. He was a founding partner of Sceptre Investment Counsel Ltd. in 1971 and was an integral part of the company&rsquo;s client growth until he retired in 1988. He was inducted into the Canadian Professional Sales Hall of Fame in 2001. George and Mary also established a professorship at Western&rsquo;s Ivey School of Business to support teaching of sales and sales management. He received the Ivey Distinguished Service Award in 1999. <br />As a businessman, George always acted with great integrity and honesty, earning respect from colleagues, clients and competitors. He was President of the Toronto- Islington Rotary Club and also Chairman of the Canadian Pension Conference. But business success was not the key motivating force in his life. Family was always his first priority, followed by a firmly held spiritual conviction. George was named an honorary elder of Humber Valley United Church in 2005. <br />His charitable giving was both broad and deep: education (Western, Queen&rsquo;s, UTS); community services (United Way Tomorrow Fund, Daily Bread Food Bank); medicine (many hospitals and research fellowships and Crohn&rsquo;s &amp; Colitis Canada); arts and culture (Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Canadian Stage, Gardiner Museum, Royal Ontario Museum); faith (founding member of Applewood United Church and staunch supporter of Humber Valley United Church). In their lifetime, George and Mary established a fund through the Toronto Community Foundation so that their children could continue to express the family&rsquo;s values and beliefs in supporting worthy charitable causes. <br />He received the Order of Ontario in 2010 and Queen Elizabeth II&rsquo;s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for his philanthropic contributions to the province. <br />George&rsquo;s love of travel was a constant in his life with both Mary and Anna Mirrette. Always organized, he eagerly planned trips to all parts of the world, enjoying new experiences. He visited 89 countries from the wilds of Papua New Guinea to the desert sands near Timbuktu. A &ldquo;last ever family trip&rdquo; with his children in 1977 was repeated many times over the years, reinforcing family bonds and demonstrating his love and affection for his sons, daughters, their spouses and grandchildren. <br />A handsome man with dark, wavy hair and a rich, deep voice, George brought the presence of a gentleman to any gathering. He loved a good laugh, a very dry martini, James Bond movies, giving to others, tracking his portfolio, good wine, minced ham sandwiches, updating his calendar and watching (but not playing) golf. He will be missed by many family and friends. <br />The family would like to thank staff from CCAC and the Dorothy Ley Hospice for their support. <br />Friends may call at Turner &amp; Porter Butler Chapel, 4933 Dundas St. West, Etobicoke (between Kipling and Islington Avenues) on Monday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A service celebrating George&rsquo;s life will be held at Humber Valley United Church, 76 Anglesey Blvd. on Tuesday, April 21 at 11 a.m. Private Interment. <br />For those who wish, the family is requesting any donations be made in George&rsquo;s honour to the Humber Valley Foundation, 76 Anglesey Blvd, Toronto ON M9A 3C1 <br />&ldquo;I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.&rdquo; Philippians 4:13 <br /></div>