Recording of the Funeral Service of the late Michael Gouthro

Born in 1931 in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Michael Wilfred Gouthro passed away peacefully on January 9, 2025, at the age of 93. Predeceased by his father, Wilfred and mother, Theresa, and his brothers, Gerard and Cyril. He will be deeply missed by his three sons and their wives, Brian & Patti, Francis & Kelley, and Mark & Heidi, as well as his sisters, Eileen, Anne and Sister Mary Gouthro. The loss of their grandfather will also be felt deeply by Scott (Mel); Stephanie (Nick), and his Nova Scotia grandchildren who have lost their beloved "Poppo" – Courtney (Jonathan); Erik (Emily); and Brennan (Kelly). Some comfort is derived from appreciating that Mike lived long enough to meet and get to know his six great-grandchildren; Julia, Annabelle, Declan, Jack, Ruby, and Violet, and knowing that he is now together with his loving wife of 66 years, Rachelle [née Lafrenière] who recently passed in October 2024.

The oldest of six children, Michael's teen years were spent in the hills surrounding Antigonish, working hard at the farm while he finished high school. He completed a diploma at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, where he was a star hockey player. Eventually, the farm was sold and the entire family resettled in Oakville. Then one night he was called upon to drive the lovely 18 year old Rachelle to a CYO (Catholic Youth League) dance. They fell in love and were soon married. Brian was born a year later. The first forty years of married life were spent living in house that they shared with Michael's parents. In many ways, Michael and Rachelle were the bedrock of their extended families – caring for Mike's parents, looking after various nieces and nephews at different times, and all the while steadfastly focused on raising their own three sons.

Michael worked his way up from the factory floor, becoming a highly skilled tool and die maker, before moving into management. Despite working many hours to provide financially for the family, Mike coached his sons' hockey and baseball teams and served as a cub scout leader. When the boys were little, he'd hold them on his lap and peel oranges for them. He cooked Sunday dinner every week. He manually dug out a hole in the backyard to install an above-ground pool for the boys to enjoy on hot summer days and packed down the snow each winter to make a homemade rink for his sons to skate on. He did all his home repairs, and even built a large extension on his house to create a ground-level apartment for his parents as they aged. Everything he did was for the people that he loved. Family was the centrepiece of his life.

A couple of years after Michael's parents passed, he and Rachelle retired. True to their rural roots, they decided they wanted to be in a small town again. They found the perfect spot in Lindsay, where for twenty-three years they had a wonderful retirement. Michael enjoyed golfing and bowling and playing cards. Their retirement was a well-deserved time of relaxation and enjoyment of each other and their wide circle of friends. Their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, all loved their visits, gathered around in the living room telling stories, playing cards or cribbage, cooking or barbequing together and sharing family meals.

In the last year and half of life, as they dealt with declining health, Mike and Rachelle moved to a retirement home in Mississauga, to be near Francis and his family. The whole family is grateful to them as well as to their caregivers - most particularly the wonderful Shavon Bennett, for their support in aiding them during this challenging last stretch in life.

Michael was a man of principle, who believed in working hard and being responsible for your family. He was also incredibly kind and caring, with a warm sense of humour, and a rich appreciation of life, family, and friends. He delighted in little ones and loved to have a drink and share stories. Always a magnet for small children, some of our favourite pictures show him holding three different generations of babies and toddlers on his lap. For those of us who lived far away, we always cherished our visits with him and with Rachelle, and appreciated the effort they made to stay connected to family despite living at a distance.

Given the close bond that existed between Michael and Rachelle, while it is sad to lose them both within such a short time, it is not surprising. It is comforting to think that they are together again, and we are grateful that we have so many good memories to reflect upon. They often told us how proud of us they were, and we are proud too that they were a huge part of our lives and our families.