Obituary of John Frederic Mable

MABLE, John Frederic of Kingston, ON, passed peacefully on February 5, 2018 after a brave and loving life.  Born on March 14, 1948 in Vancouver, BC, his early years in Baton Rouge LA, Pittsburgh, P.A. and Waldwick, N.J.(USA) blossomed in Ridgewood, NJ and on Wolfe Island. His adult years were spent in Toronto and Kingston. A kind, social and gentle soul, John also brought a keen mind to local/national/world events and socio-political issues. Reporting on sports for the RHS school paper and Bergen (County NJ) Evening Record seeded a professional career and lifelong passion for writing and journalism that unfolded in Canada.  John loved sports and played basketball on a recreation league team in his high school years. As an active Boy Scout and elite Eagle Scout he also had adventures, made friends, learned skills and attended Jamborees that lived on in stories retold with joy. He also loved music, sang in choirs, and played trombone in a jazz band in high school. At Queen's University in Kingston in the late 60's, he became Sports Editor and Editor of the Queen's Journal while studying politics and history there and at Ryerson in Toronto. In all, he reported for the Queen's Journal, Kingston Whig-Standard, Toronto Star, Oakville Daily Journal Record and the National Catholic Register on topics ranging from sports and religion to politics and government. Then, rarely idle through years of health challenges, he read the major papers daily until his death and supported colleagues and friends with clippings packets and story ideas.
Friends and family agree that John was 'one of the good guys'.  He was the eldest of five children born to Wilfred H. and Mary E. (Carl) Mable of Kingston and Wolfe Island (deceased) and is lovingly remembered by his sister Elizabeth Marriott of Findhorn, Scotland; brothers W. Bruce Mable of Kingston and Brian Mable of Glenwood Springs, Colorado; sister Ann L. Mable and brother-in-law John Marriott of Kingston; nieces Sara Schnadt of Pasadena, California and Anna Marriott of Tarbet, Argyll, Scotland; his aunt Marjorie Marriott of Ottawa and uncle Ron Marriott of Morrisburg; uncle and aunt Hubert and Pauline Mable of Toronto; and cousins Cheryl Rogers (husband Chris and children Brian and Erin), Julie Carl and Jon Carl of Ottawa. A graveside family ceremony will be held on May 26 at Cataraqui Cemetery in Kingston with a reception following.