Cauley, John Ambrose

January 16th, 2021

August 9, 1935 - January 16, 2021

First child of Marie Salmon Cauley and Justin Cauley, big brother to Kathryn, Lawrence and Rita. Cherished husband of the late Sally Gabryluk Cauley. A shining and oh so loved father to Christopher, Jennifer (Tim) and Allyson. Beloved grandfather and buddy to Cameron and Joshua. Born in the first half of the 20th century on a farm established by his parents, north of Toledo, Ontario, he passed away in the first half of the 21st century in London, Ontario, near the home of his daughter Jennifer and son-in-law Tim Pocock. From the gravel roads of Toledo, John made his way to Toronto, where he graduated from Ryerson. Eventually he made his way to Montreal, and in the summer of 1959, he married his one true love, Sally. It was the bringing together of two very different families: John's side being from rural Ontario, Sally's being from downtown Montreal (with a strong Eastern European flavour). He enjoyed being a good and dutiful son to his parents and his in-laws, the many years of holidays and celebrations evenly divided between the two rather distinct traditions: the country kitchen of the farm and the inner city kitchen with Polish and Ukrainian cooking. Hundreds of miles put in over Christmas so that he and Sally and their kids would know and love both sets of grandparents, their uncles and aunts, their cousins and extended family. In the late sixties, John trained to become a high school teacher. He, Sally and the kids left Quebec for eastern Ontario, eventually settling on Shearer Ave. in Cornwall. For almost 25 years, John would drive each day the 20 km to Char-Lan District High School, Williamstown (pop. 400), where he taught shop, math, geography and drivers ed. John loved teaching and truly enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow teachers. We know that he very much enjoyed teaching in a rural setting; he took it seriously, knowing how important it was to reach students, and it was always moving to see him interact with former students of his. John always had a fascination with how things worked, from all things electrical, to crosswords and sudoku puzzles. His sense of humor was always uplifting and his storytelling always included a good hearty chuckle. John, wearer of many-a-hat, loved to golf, ride his John Deere, and breakfast at The South Glengarry Restaurant. He always appreciated his supportive friends Bob, Rheal and his neighbour, Debbie. Special thanks to Sandi LeGallais for all the check-ins and special treats during his time in Cornwall. After leaving Cornwall for the last time (with his prized John Deere tractor in tow), he was able to spend time with family, including getting to know his well-loved grandsons, Cameron and Joshua, as fine young adults. As a resident of peopleCare Oakcrossing Long Term Care, he made a number of friends. In particular, he leaves behind his dear friend Joan, who appeared in his life much like an angel: a great surprise, bringing kindness, care and love. (You never know what life might bring, he might have said.) John made it into his 90th decade, leaving a world much different than the one he first knew. He knew that what he experienced as a child on the farm was something few will know again. It was idyllic, it was challenging and it was beautiful. It was obvious to all how he loved where he was from, and how he loved those that were near to his heart. In the years of his 90th decade, a time that was not an easy one, he would tell stories, recalling exploits and adventures in various parts of the world… the adventures and efforts of a young man looking to establish a place for himself and his bride in the world. Sometimes he would forget that he had told the story already. Of course, it didn't matter, but perhaps there's something about this, something important to note: it seems that it was good to remember these things. He would smile, looking to share what he had seen. John looked back with what often seemed like true delight, if not amazement, at what life allowed him to know. The excitement he would experience in recalling what it was like to be in this world: finding people, finding places, finding himself in ways he could not have anticipated. It was as if he couldn't believe his good fortune: that he was actually a son to those wonderful people, a husband to that lovely woman, a father to three loving children... that roads went to where they went, that people were there all along the way… so much good to recall, it seemed. So many beginnings to speak of as the story was coming to an end. He leaves many of us without the opportunity to say goodbye in the way we would choose. And so, as John leaves us, we lose a father, a brother, a grandfather, a friend… and we lose what he knew. Which is only to say that we know it's impossible for anyone to speak all of what they’ve known. While we can recount the events of a life, so much remains not known. We can’t directly know what it was like to sit behind the wheel of John’s car as he made his way to his many destinations, what it was like to see the thousands of early mornings break over his garden, what it was like for him to hear gravel hitting the underside of his green Volvo. But, over time, those near us will get our message. We get through to each other, eventually. To know John was to know that the world, and its kin, oughta be taken care of in a certain way… that the world needed to be seen as beautiful and its people needed to be treated fair. And, recalling his bright smile and easy laugh: it needed to be seen to be believed. He is already missed, dearly. Funeral and reception for John will be held in Cornwall when we can all safely meet to celebrate John's life. Those wishing to make a donation in memory of John are asked to consider the McCormick Care Foundation (Day Program).

Charitable donations may be made to:

• McCormick Care Foundation (Day Program)

Please click here to send a donation notification to the family