28-Aug-1935 - 27-Nov-2020
It is with heavy hearts that our family announces the passing of Michael Augustine Conlin (Mike), on November 27th at Georgian Bay General Hospital in Midland.
Mike was a loving and devoted husband to his wife of 57 years, Donna (nee Hansen). He will be greatly missed by his son, Tony Conlin, his daughter Anne Marie Males and her husband David. Proud grandfather to Trinity and Ava Males and Lauren Conlin.
Born in Peterborough, Mike is predeceased by his parents Agnes (nee O’Brien) and James Cornelius Conlin, his brothers Paul and Jack and his sister Maureen. He will be greatly missed by his older brother Claire Conlin and his family.
Mike attended Peterborough Secondary School before joining the RCAF where he worked as an airplane mechanic and surveyor in the Northwest Territories. He later worked at Consumer’s Gas before joining CIBC for a long career that spanned more than 30 years. He and Donna also owned and operated the Beresford Hotel in Killaloe Ontario for a couple years.
Mike is best known for his work with the church and in the community. He was ordained as a Roman Catholic Deacon in 1976, and served in that role for 43 years at a number of parishes including Nativity of our Lord in Etobicoke and St. Margaret’s in Midland. As a Deacon, Mike was able to perform the wedding ceremony for his daughter and her husband David, and proudly baptised granddaughters Trinity and Ava.
In his later years, Mike enjoyed travelling across Ontario for Chalice, raising money for children and seniors living in developing nations. He was able to travel to Guatemala to see how the monies were spent; an experience he found deeply rewarding.
Mike was a kind and decent man who cared deeply for his family, his church and his community. Quiet and reflective, he spent many hours walking, rain or shine, and reading. His varied tastes in literature included Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis and the poetry of Robert Service. He loved a good card game, played along with Jeopardy and couldn’t last a day without making toast. Those who knew him well also knew he had a wicked, dry sense of humour and was not above playing the odd prank.
In keeping with current regulations, a small funeral will be held on Thursday, December 3rd, at St. Margaret’s Roman Catholic Church in Midland, followed by interment at St. Louis Cemetery, 823 Mount Saint Louis Road West, Simcoe County.
Due to allergies, no flowers will be allowed in the Church, however, donations to the Georgian Bay General Hospital (https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/7602), The St. Margaret’s Building Fund (https://stmargaretsmi.archtoronto.org) or Chalice (https://www.chalice.ca) in lieu of flowers would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks to the doctors and nurses at Georgian Bay who provided excellent care to Mike in his final days.
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
