We Remember
SMITHWICK, Jeremiah (Jerry)
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Jerry was born November 2, 1918 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was the youngest of four children born to Margaret and Thomas Smithwick: Bill, Tom, Peggy and Jerry.
Jerry received most of his education in Saskatoon at St. Joseph Elementary, Nutana High School and the University of Saskatchewan, where he achieved a B.A. Jerry finished his education at Cornell University, New York City, USA, with a diploma in Physical Therapy.
In 1943, while travelling to New York, Jerry stopped in Montreal to see his brother Bill, who was a pharmacist working in a laboratory in Nitro, Quebec. Nitro was a small village located 30 miles west of Montreal and was built during World War II by the Government of Canada to manufacture high explosives. It was a very important cog in the wheel of defense against the Nazis and was the biggest plant of its kind in the British Empire. Jerry’s visit to his brother in 1943 became a turning point in his life, because it was during this trip that he was introduced to his future wife, Joyce Vallieres. After three years of corresponding, they became engaged and were married in 1946. They had a long and happy marriage in Saskatoon and had four children: Norm, Tom, Jerry and Barbara.
Jerry was one of the founding fathers of the Saskatchewan Physical Therapy Association. He served as president for five years and secretary for two years. Jerry was responsible for the Poliomyelitis Clinic at St. Paul’s Hospital in 1951. He ran Smithwick’s Physiotherapy, until his retirement in 1986, when his son, Norman, who was then a graduate physiotherapist, took over the practice.
Jerry was very active in sports. He was a member of the University of Saskatchewan football team, the Riverside Golf and Country Club in 1940’s and ‘50’s and coached the Knight’s of Columbus hockey team in the 1940’s. Jerry was an avid hunter, fisherman and spent countless hours with his children and many other children, teaching hockey, baseball, basketball, golf, fishing, hunting, water skiing, etc. His favorite place in the world was his cottage at Wakaw Lake.
The Roman Catholic faith was an important part of his life and he was a life-time member of the Knight’s of Columbus.
In 2001, Jerry and Joyce retired to Kelowna, where he spent the remainder of his life. Jerry was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Left to celebrate his life are his loving wife of 71 years, Joyce; children: Norm (Linda), Tom (Mary Ann), Jerry Jr. (Tamar) and Barbara; grandchildren: Renee (Tom Burzuk), Jeff Smithwick, Kyla Angon and Marla Smithwick (Shakib); great grandchildren: Emma, Anna Angon, Joshua Burzuk, Simon and Sebastian Ghassemieh.
Jerry will be missed terribly by all of us, but also celebrated as a man who led a good and generous life. Prayers will be held on Thursday, August 3rd at 7:00 pm and a Celebration of Life Mass will be held on Friday, August 4th at 11:00 am, both at St. Charles Garnier Parish, 3645 Benvoulin Road, Kelowna, BC. Donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Freedom’s Door, 1279 Centennial Crescent, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 6K3, www.freedomsdoorkelowna.com. If you wish to send a condolence, post photos, or to share a memory, please scroll down this page to the area called “share your condolences.”
Prayer Service
Thursday, August 3rd at 7:00 pm
Service
Friday, August 4th at 11:00 am
Location
St. Charles Garnier Parish
Share with Others:
Freedom’s Door, 1279 Centennial Crescent, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 6K3 Link: www.freedomsdoorkelowna.com
Service Information
Service Details
The prayer service for SMITHWICK, Jeremiah (Jerry) is scheduled for Thursday, August 3rd at 7:00 pm at located at 3645 Benvoulin Road, Kelowna, BC.
The service for SMITHWICK, Jeremiah (Jerry) is scheduled for Friday, August 4th at 11:00 am. Below you will find the map for the service location and the contact information should you have any questions.
Address & Contact for Service Location:
St. Charles Garnier Parish
3645 Benvoulin Road Kelowna, BC
Phone:
Special Requests:
None.
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