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John Dewar, Past President 1976-1977St. Catharines Rowing Club is sad to report the passing of John Dewar. He was past president (1976-1977) and lifetime member of St. Catharines Rowing Club and proud of his legacy supporting women in rowing. Please see more details below... John Evander Dewar, 1931-2021
In his 90th year, of St. Catharines, Ontario, passed away peacefully on January 1, 2021 into the loving arms of his Annie, who predeceased him in 2015. John’s greatest joy was his family, and leaves his four children Gregory (Jennifer), Jane (Greg), Anmarie (Paul) and John (Doreena), 11 grandchildren and their special partners Matthew (Basia), Danny (Jackie), Gillian (Caleb), Aleigha (Tom), Kristen (Doug), Taylor (Megan), Spencer (Dayna), Annie, Jack, Danielle and Matthew, 5 great grandchildren William, Claire, Quinn, Liam, and Carter and was excited to welcome three more great grandchildren in the coming months. John welcomed with his whole heart his U.S. family Emily (Alex), Jenna (Ryan), Sam (Britt) and Nick (Alexis). He will be greatly missed by his sister Donna (Bob), brothers-in-law Harry and Garry (Cathy), and predeceased by sister-in-law Ingrid, and brother-in-law Barry, and also by many special nieces and nephews, and cousins. John was proud of his family tree. John will be missed by dear friends Marg and Doug, the bridge club and all of his friends at Ina Grafton. John was a pet whisperer and will be missed by two Lolas, Scout, Bentley and Hugo. John lived a remarkable life of love and laughter. He was larger than life, and a superhero to his kids and grandchildren. A lover of sweets, Scotch, trains, construction, hugs, and being on time, he created a special place for our family memories at Three Mile Lake in Muskoka. John was a great fan and former player with the St. Catharines Athletics Lacrosse organization including a member of the Minto Cup Championship team of 1950 and was also a lifetime member of the St. Catharines Old Boys Lacrosse Association. He was past president and lifetime member of St. Catharines Rowing Club and proud of his legacy to support women in rowing. Cremation has taken place and a celebration of life will occur at a later date. Arrangements are entrusted to the GEORGE DARTE FUNERAL HOME, (905) 937-4444. In lieu of flowers, kindly make donations in John’s name to either Hospice Niagara or the NHS- St. Catharines Site – Heart Unit. |
Three Mile Lake Regatta - Each fall, a group of Club executive, directors, and coaches, past and present, went to Three Mile Lake for some intensive post-season training. Back row: Don Baker, Stan Lapinski, Jack Lovett(?), Dave Tasane, Fred Marlow, Oscar Tasane Joe LeBlanc, Jack Nicholson, Harry Edmondstone, front row: Russ Wood Bill Dan, Jim Stone, Jerry Cheevers, Norm Adams, John Dewar, Barry Kennedy. and Gord Thomson,
Images from The St. Catharines Rowing Club: 100 Years in a Row, Stan Lapinski
Excerpt from an Interview with John in 2004...
John Bane Dewar emigrated from Glenelg, Scotland in 1794 and settled near Kirk Hill, Glengarry County, thereby establishing our Dewar roots in Canada. John was born in St. Catharines, April l0, 1931. (His mother was born in Canada, as was her father, J. D. Buchanan). John lived all his life in St. Catharines, except for three years while he was at school in Toronto. As a young man he attended Victoria and Alexandra Public Schools and the St. Catharines Collegiate.
Growing up, his family was into a lot of sports – track and field, basketball, football and a lot of lacrosse. He played lacrosse with the Jr. Athletics and won the Minto Cup in 1950 and went on to play for the Senior Athletics in the early 50’s.
John considered July 24, 1954, the most important day of his life, he married his high school sweetheart, Anne Marie Kennedy.
John started work in 1953 at Thompson Products in their mining division. In 1954, he moved to Conroy Manufacturing and worked in their purchasing and engineering departments. In 1956 he worked at Court Radiator where he oversaw their steel fabricating shop. September 1957, he accepted a position with Alexander Tools Ltd. Brantford, Ontario, an industrial distributor specializing in the sale of cutting tools, precision tools and work holding equipment. John's sales territory at that time was the Niagara Peninsula. In 1961, Alexander Tools Ltd. opened a branch office in St. Catharines, and John was appointed manager, a position he held until he left the company in 1991. In 1991 he started his own industrial supply company, Dewar Industrial, and in 1994 sold to DoAll Canada, with head office in Toronto. John worked for DoAll as an agent with his main responsibility being General Motors, St. Catharines. He officially retired in April 2004.
Those of you who know John, know it wasn’t all work and no play. After his lacrosse playing days, he became involved with the start up of the Port Dalhousie Guardsmen Drum Corps and marched with them for a few years, playing the trumpet.
In 1963, I became a director of the St. Catharines Rowing Club and remained in that role for many years. John is a past president of the St. Catharines Rowing Club and volunteered at Henley and other local regattas as a judge of the finish. John remained involved with lacrosse as a member of the St. Catharines Lacrosse Old Boys Association and was a director of the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum out at Lock 3.
John also found time to build a couple of cottages on Three Mile Lake, Muskoka near Windermere. In 2004, Bruce Milligan, Harry Collier and John celebrated 35 years of curling together and during that time they had three leads: Keith Wenderson, Bill Hutchison and Harry Edmondstone. John and his curling partners had a good kick at the cat and enjoyed every minute of it.
Growing up, his family was into a lot of sports – track and field, basketball, football and a lot of lacrosse. He played lacrosse with the Jr. Athletics and won the Minto Cup in 1950 and went on to play for the Senior Athletics in the early 50’s.
John considered July 24, 1954, the most important day of his life, he married his high school sweetheart, Anne Marie Kennedy.
John started work in 1953 at Thompson Products in their mining division. In 1954, he moved to Conroy Manufacturing and worked in their purchasing and engineering departments. In 1956 he worked at Court Radiator where he oversaw their steel fabricating shop. September 1957, he accepted a position with Alexander Tools Ltd. Brantford, Ontario, an industrial distributor specializing in the sale of cutting tools, precision tools and work holding equipment. John's sales territory at that time was the Niagara Peninsula. In 1961, Alexander Tools Ltd. opened a branch office in St. Catharines, and John was appointed manager, a position he held until he left the company in 1991. In 1991 he started his own industrial supply company, Dewar Industrial, and in 1994 sold to DoAll Canada, with head office in Toronto. John worked for DoAll as an agent with his main responsibility being General Motors, St. Catharines. He officially retired in April 2004.
Those of you who know John, know it wasn’t all work and no play. After his lacrosse playing days, he became involved with the start up of the Port Dalhousie Guardsmen Drum Corps and marched with them for a few years, playing the trumpet.
In 1963, I became a director of the St. Catharines Rowing Club and remained in that role for many years. John is a past president of the St. Catharines Rowing Club and volunteered at Henley and other local regattas as a judge of the finish. John remained involved with lacrosse as a member of the St. Catharines Lacrosse Old Boys Association and was a director of the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum out at Lock 3.
John also found time to build a couple of cottages on Three Mile Lake, Muskoka near Windermere. In 2004, Bruce Milligan, Harry Collier and John celebrated 35 years of curling together and during that time they had three leads: Keith Wenderson, Bill Hutchison and Harry Edmondstone. John and his curling partners had a good kick at the cat and enjoyed every minute of it.
Highlights and Notable Moments
- Born April 10, 1931
- Lifelong resident of St. Catharines
- Married Anne Marie Kennedy (1933 - 2015) on July 24, 1954 (married 61 years)
- Employed 40 years in the industrial distribution field
- Member of the St. Catharines Junior Athletics 1950 Minto Cup Championship team
- Played Senior Lacrosse 1952 - 1955
- Director of the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum
- Member of the Port Dalhousie Old Boy's Lacrosse Association
- Original member of the Port Dalhousie Guardsmen Drum Corp, marched with them and played trumpet
- Director of the St. Catharines Rowing Club, beginning in 1963 (1964?) where he served for many years on committees such as, membership, finance, equipment, dock, boats, maintenance,
- SCRC Representative to Canadian Amateur Rowing Association
- Director during the SCRC move from Lakeport Rd. to the Henley Island shell house.
- In 1968, John drove the equipment trailer to Mexico for the 1968 Mexico Olympic Rowing Team
- President of the St. Catharines Rowing Club 1976 - 1977
- Under his presidency in 1976, Women's rowing was introduced in the SCRC club program
- In 1996, an Empacher eight was named in his honour
- Finish line judge for over 40 years
- In 2007, John was a judge at the 125th Royal Canadian Henley
John's rowing club memories:
- 1964 - 1977 were exciting times at the SCRC.
- Great growth and expansion
- When the SCRC moved to the new shell house there was only enough equipment to fill one bay
- Riding the dock from the old club house to the island in 1966
- Building new sliding racks in the island shell house
- Working with George "Mooner" Manoogian in the the workshop
- Driving equipment to Mexico for the 1968 Olympics
- Three Mile Lake Regattas with the SCRC directors
- Winning the Maple Leaf Trophy in 1976/1977
- Driving Thomas Keller during the 1970 World Rowing Championships in St. Catharines
- Introducing women's rowing in 1976
- Having an eight named in his honour in 1996
