Obituary of Maynard Slack

SLACK, Maynard John Spencer

Born: February 3, 1917, Smiths Falls, Ontario

Deceased: February 4, 2019, Kingston, Ontario

            Predeceased by his wife, Edna May (Petty), March 27, 2001, son, Ronald Owen Slack (1950), brothers Maj. Charles Edward Slack, 21st Canadian Armoured Regiment, Governor General's Foot Guards, (1944, Normandy, France), Lt. Col. Dr. William Robert Ian Slack, RCAMC, (1956 Korea), Leonard James Walton Slack, (1991), Alfred Ronald Slack (2008).

            Survived by son Douglas Maynard Slack and sister Amy Mary Aletha Murphy, nieces and nephews.

            After schooling in Smiths Falls Ontario he struggled financially to attend Ontario Agricultural College, University of Toronto, in Guelph Ontario in the depression years. He graduated 1939, B. Sc.(Ag), and continued enrolment in a Master's Degree program which he abandoned to take a position with Defence Industries Limited (DIL), Salaberry-de-Valleyfield Works, at Nitro, Quebec, as a chemist, involved in the manufacture of explosives for the Second World War. In that position he worked in a laboratory to improve the quality of explosives for military munitions used in the Second World War and as Assistant Superintendent of High Explosives and Supervisor of shift work in DNT and TNT nitration.

            Maynard married Edna May Petty, of Rockwood, Ontario, on the 7th of October, 1941.

            At the end of the Second World War, in 1945, the DIL position was terminated but he quickly obtained employment with Canadian Industries Limited (CIL), at their nylon plant in Kingston, Ontario. His previous employer, DIL was owned by CIL and the Government of Canada. The Kingston nylon plant of CIL subsequently changed ownership to DuPont of Canada and is now operated by Invista Canada Co. In this employment he held various supervisory positions. Because of a common ownership thread of his employers he was credited with employment history from his original employment with DIL. He retired from DuPont Company of Canada on April 30, 1980.

            Maynard was active in Princess Street United Church and various Masonic Lodge activities, and in charitable organizations in Kingston, including the United Way of Kingston & District and Kingston General Hospital.

            He was invested as an Honorary Companion of the University of Guelph in 2004.

            Maynard's hobbies included wood working, fly tying, fishing and travelling by camping and later with a travel trailer and to Europe and Africa. He was able to continue his interests in stamp collection, bridge, and reading of large print books subsequent to his retirement.

            Maynard lived independently until September of 2016 when a significant deterioration in his physical health led to accommodation in Arbour Heights Long Term Care Home in Kingston. He was very pleased to be resident in that facility and especially in the medical attention that he received. He continued reading large print books and playing bridge on the computer in that facility.

            Maynard was kind, curious about the world, able to set goals, and generous with his time and talents.

            Resting at the James Reid Funeral Home, 1900 John Counter Blvd. Kingston on Friday, February 8, 2019 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm and on Saturday, February 9, 2019 from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm.  A Masonic service will be held on Saturday at 12:30 pm followed by the funeral service in the chapel at 1:00 pm. Interment Cataraqui Cemetery.  Anyone wishing to make a donation in his name is invited to consider University Hospitals Kingston Foundation or Kingston Access Services.