George Lawrence knew how his time would be spent every day after supper --- talking to his friend Nigel Warren.
“I knew the phone would be ringing,” said Lawrence, former deputy mayor for Tiny Township. “We would talk for about 30 minutes to an hour.”
Now, his phone remains silent. Warren died on June 17. He was 76.
“I was shocked,” said Lawrence. “Both me and my wife were in tears. He was full of life. He was a good friend.”
The two had been peers on council for two terms, from 2006 till 2014.
“The first time I met him was when he came and spoke to me about becoming involved in the political arena in Tiny,” said Lawrence, who was chairman of a Tiny ratepayers association and editor for a community newspaper.
“(Nigel) was quite knowledgeable and he showed quite a lot of interest,” he said, adding Warren had been on municipal committees in Hamilton before moving to Tiny. “He did his research and he didn't always flow with the crowd. If he was dedicated to an issue, he would follow through with that. He wasn't swayed by other interests.”
That meant, Lawrence said, Warren had to stand by his views on his own.
“Because he believed in what he felt was the best,” said Lawrence, adding Warren was dedicated to the township.
Aside from their devotion to the township, he and Warren also loved gardening.
“We would always swap plants,” said Lawrence. “He had three or four hummingbird feeders out at the same time. He loved watching them come to feed.”
Warren’s day wasn't complete if he didn't go to a yard sale, said his friend.
“Everytime I see a yard sale, I think of Nigel,” noted Lawrence.
He laughed and added, “Someone was saying the other day, ‘Nigel is in heaven organization a committee.’”
When Warren first joined council more than two decades ago, he also made friends with Mayor George Cornell.
“We were both rookie councillors,” he said.
As a councillor, Cornell said, Warren was relatable for residents.
“You could easily approach him,” he said. “He wasn't shy to be accessible and available to residents and bring their issues to the table. He was a good listener but always wanted to take the time and do his research to satisfy himself and understand the issue from all perspectives.”
Cornell said he knew Warren was a fan of soccer and also refereed games in the community, because he loved helping out the young players.
Warren is survived by his wife Doreen, sons Ian (Leigh) and Andrew and daughter Isabel as well as a granddaughter. He also leaves behind three brothers in England, John, Alan and Graham and their families.
“I shall miss your British sense of humour and your wonderful smile,” said friend Joan Lawrence. “You made a substantial contribution to Tiny Council that will always be remembered. Keep on gardening!”
