Obituary of John Spinak

Thomas “John” Spinak passed away peacefully on December 22, 2018 at age 73, after a yearlong battle with cancer.  Survived by his wife Carol, son Chuck, daughter Catherine and grandson, Jack, he will be missed by family and friends in Canada and abroad.

Born in 1945 in Worcester, England, and raised in the coastal town of Hastings, John came to Canada in 1970 and first taught at the Boy’s Farm in the Laurentian Mountains, outside of Montreal.  In 1972, he married Carol and, a few years later, accepted a job with the Waterloo Regional District School Board (WRDSB) as the Principal of Lutherwood.  Over the next 40+ years, John and Carol established their family in Waterloo and built a solid community of friends.

John was a respected educator, helping to define the curriculum and standards for special education across the Board.  He was the Principal of several elementary schools in the region, opening Northlake Woods Public School in 1996 and working there until 2004 when he moved to the Board Office and became Coordinator of Special Education.  After retiring in 2006, John continued providing liaison services to special education, working as an educational consultant for Family and Children’s Services.

To colleagues and students, John was a steadfast leader who strived to help people reach their potential, and always acted in the best interests of children of all abilities.

To his family, John was an always present, always dedicated figure.  His love of books, art and music was rivalled only by his love for single-malt scotch and good conversation, and surpassed only by his love for having his family around him.  He travelled often to England and Ireland to visit his brother and extended family, and to the United States to see his sister-in-law, nieces and nephews.  John once commented on how lucky he was to be a part of a family where everyone liked each other.

As his cousin James once said, “John always did things with aplomb.” He was a guiding force for many, a true and trusted friend, and will be dearly missed by all who knew him, especially his family.

Visitations will be held at Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Friday, December 28, 2018 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.  There will be a funeral mass held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 29, 2018 at St. Michael’s RC Church, 80 University Avenue West in Waterloo, followed by a reception directly after the service in the church hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre or a charity of your choice by contacting the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.