John Choat, after a courageous battle with a stroke, cancer, congestive heart failure and pneumonia, took his last breath in the loving arms of his wife Laurel and his son Michael on August 21st at Etobicoke General Hospital.

Beloved husband of almost 36 years to Laurel (nee Fraczkowski), loving father to daughter Tracey and sons David, Michael, Adam, and Alex and father-in-law to Scott, Tania and Tanya. Proud grandfather to Emma and Christian. Cherished older brother to Nancy.

John grew up in the Kingsway with a passion for art from an early age and followed his dream of being a designer by studying for four years at the Ontario College of Art & Design university (Formerly the Ontario College of Art). After graduating in 1959 he worked for ten years as a furniture designer at Metalsmiths, a high-end custom furniture store that had become synonymous with sophisticated modern furniture and growth of industrial design in Canada.

After attending one year of Teacher’s College John was hired as an industrial design teacher at Weston Collegiate. After being headhunted for his design expertise, John became a Professor at Seneca College in the Design Arts Department, where he worked for 36 years, retiring in 2007.

John loved working with his hands, designing and building and doing home renovations, that included the design and construction of an impressive deck at the age of 81 years old.

John had a passion for photography, animals, sports cars, nature, art, and music, and was an avid collector of African and Indigenous sculpture.

John had an incredible voice, a wonderful sense of humour and a natural ‘gift for the gab’, often referred to by his friends as the man that “took an hour to say hello”.

He will be greatly missed and forever loved.

Friends may call at the Turner & Porter Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor St. W., at Windermere, east of the Jane Subway on Friday, August 25th, from 5-8 p.m. A Funeral Service will take place in the Chapel on Saturday, August 26th at 3:30 p.m.

For those who wish, donations can be made to the charity of your choice.