Ronald E. McCurdy

Ron McCurdy was the son of Everett and Opal. He was the husband of Elva. He took care of Elva, steadfastly, through her Alzheimer’s years, in our family home. He lived on his own with weekly support in the family home until a week before his passing. He was taken by ambulance at his own request to Etobicoke General, where he died a week and four days later at the ripe age of 94. 

He was truly a lifelong learner and teacher. He was a visionary, thinking constantly of ways to make things work better, working to change the laws to allow electric assist tricycles on the roads, to get more people riding recumbent electric assist tricycles. He was political for much of his adult life, finally settling on the Green Party. What an inspiration.

Ron was also a Dad to five children, Susan, Diane, Christopher, Jennifer, and Peter. He had eight grandchildren, (Kate, Adam, Andrew, Colin, Jacob, Mitchell, Maeve, and Laurel). He also had four great grandchildren (Zane, Hailey, Isabel, and Macy). His children remember him for the excellent adventures he took us on, his teachings about the natural world, his skill at repairing things, the importance of being frugal, and how to take care of machinery, including cars. He helped us to enjoy gardening, value upcycling, play sports, and nurture curiosity. His grandchildren remember him as a man who liked to tinker and who loved music. He encouraged all his grandchildren to play instruments. His great grandchildren also knew him as the trumpet playing great grandpa.

Ron supported his family by teaching high school, first at Earl Hague and later at McKenzie Collegiate, teaching geography and photography. In going through his paper memories, it was apparent that his students loved and admired him. He played hockey until well into his late 60’s, coached basketball and volleyball, and rode his tricycle until his last weeks on earth. 

He loved to eat, especially chocolate Turtles, and any kind of cookie you could imagine. Paradoxically he was also a health nut; always quick to tell his children how to best take care of themselves. He was successful at keeping healthy, considering his lifespan and the fact that he rarely was sick. However, it should be noted that he fainted at the sight of blood, which made raising five rambunctious children, quite a challenge.

He was also a successful inventor. He often seconded his children into producing his inventions for sale. Examples of his marketable inventions include a water carrier for camping, Tiltascreen (projection screen), solar panels for heating pools, plastic wallpaper trays that replaced the wax and cardboard trays, other wallpapering tools, tools that facilitated his autonomous lifestyle, and finally his beloved tricycles. He often expressed that he wanted someone to take over his trike business; however, it was easily apparent that he was never truly ready to give it up. 

Ron kept connections with his relatives and friends throughout the years. The phone and computer were his conduit to his friends. 

He was methodical and his mind was constantly whirling with ideas and solutions. He was a fiercely independent renaissance man. 

He loved to sing, tinker on the electric piano, and play his trumpet. Certain words would trigger an outpouring of a song. His theme song was Frank Sinatra’s, “I Did It My Way”. Indeed, he did. 

He will be missed.