John Douglas Baxter
Born:
Died: 01 September 2025
John Douglas Baxter passed away peacefully in Mississauga on September 1st, 2025, after an unexpectedly quick bout of pneumonia.
Everyone who knew him knew him as Doug or Dougie, as he went by his middle name. He was a husband to his late wife Monica (Doll), a father to his daughter Arlene (Leenzey), and a grandfather to his granddaughter Crystal (Crissy). Doug was one of four siblings to his brother Wayne (Wink), late brother Jim, and to his late sister Linda. He had much extended family and was a great friend to so many.
Doug grew up in Strathroy, ON. He was an excellent student, receiving honours in grade 8 that earned him a plaque at his school in Mount Brydges that remains there to this day. He was a proud member of the Royal Canadian Navy - HMCS Venture’s Class of 1959. He worked as a taxi driver in Toronto, worked for the City of Etobicoke, and became a Public Health Inspector in the City of Toronto where he spent most of his career and retired as such.
As his granddaughter Crystal writing this, I am now going to refer to him as Gramp. You could always find Gramp playing the Toronto Star Saturday crossword to keep his mind sharp (and sharp it was through the entirety of his life), catching up on the news and watching The Price is Right, The Young and The Restless, and every sport you could think of. Everyone knew how much he loved his sports. That was his favourite topic and pastime. He played multiple sports throughout his life including basketball, golf, tennis, curling, and arguably his favourite sport – baseball. He played seniors slow-pitch, first base being his favourite position. He adored his Blue Jays, never missing a game throughout his retired life. I lived with my grandfather most of my life, and we spent much of our conversations talking about sports, my favourite being hockey. Gramp would update me every chance he could with recent scores, plays, and upcoming roster changes. I loved it. Hockey wasn’t his favourite, but he used to say my enthusiasm made him want to watch even more.
Gramp was a sentimental man. Appearing tough on the outside (and he was) but he had a soft heart. He teared up reading his favourite quotes, listening to music, watching his favourite movie “Out of Africa”, and watching champions of sport win titles. He was patriotic, adoring his country of Canada while also loving the USA where we took many trips to Florida with his wife Monica. He and his wife also took great interest in the Royal family. He was a hardworking man. Someone who was extremely disciplined and, in my eyes, admirable. He was always on time, made sure he saved his money and spent wisely, and stuck to routine. Gramp always made sure that his family was taken care of. He was my constant, my rock, my favourite person in the world. If I ever needed him (and I always did) he was always there. He’ll always be there.
Though Gramp has now passed on, his memory will continue to ripple through shared memories from the voices of his family and friends, the sound of a Blue Jays game, and for me, the echo of his voice when he’d simply call out to me as he always did, referring to me as “his Crissy.”
Gramp didn’t like a fuss and always wanted to be low-key. In respect to this knowing, there will be no ceremony, but a visitation at G.H. Hogle Funeral Home on September 10th from 12-2pm, followed by a burial service for close family. However, a mic will be available if anyone would like to say a few words (I believe I will speak at some point if you want to stick around for that). Attire does not have to be super formal. Gramp loved his Blue Jays, and I am encouraging everyone to wear something Blue Jays or blue in colour as we celebrate his life.
Visitation is Wednesday September 10, 2025 12:00pm - 2:00pm at G.H. Hogle Funeral Home. Internment will be at St. John's Dixie Cemetery, Mississauga, ON.
Published by G.H. Hogle Funeral Home
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