1935
Eric
2024
Eric Donald Broger
February 21, 1935 — April 11, 2024
Eric died peacefully at Soldiers” Memorial Hospital on Thursday, April 11. He left us with wonderful memories of the life he shared with his wife of 65 years Kay-Anne (nee Anderson), his son Kevin (Carole), daughters Andrea (Dave) and Elizabeth (Blair) and his much-loved grandchildren Alexandra (Jon), Logan, Darby and Aidan. He will be greatly missed by his many nieces and nephews.
Eric was born and raised in Toronto. High Park was his playground and he attended Runnymede Public School and Humberside Collegiate. He was predeceased by both his parents Wilhemina Idinger and Alois Broger as well as by his sisters Minnie and Shirley and his brother Ronald.
He graduated from the University of Toronto as a Mechanical Engineer, began his career with the CN Railway, then moved on to companies specializing in Project Engineering, first MacLaren’s for many years, then Giffels. When Honda planned to build their Canadian factory in Alliston, Eric embarked on the work that was the highlight of his career. He was the engineer chosen by Honda executives to oversee this huge project and he was responsible for dealing with all the trades, the contractors and sub-contractors. He was able to bring the project to completion on budget and on time.
The Japanese executives felt that Eric understood their ways of doing business and hired him to be the Canadian head of their factory, to help them deal with Canadian governments.
Years later, a Honda parts manufacturing company locating in Tottenham hired him to be their Canadian executive vice-president and he held that position until retirement, travelling to Japan 42 times.
Regardless of how involved he was with business matters, Eric always made time to give his unwavering love, guidance and support to his family.
Because he had spent all of his childhood and teenage summers at a cottage at Bass Lake, his dream was to retire to Orillia. Whenever he and Kay-Anne were here to visit relatives, Eric was always driving around town checking out the real estate.
The perfect place was found, the renovations began and retirement in Orillia became a reality.
He served as a director of the Stephen Leacock Board for several years, then joined Georgian College’s Board of Governors for 6 years, 2 as Chair of the Board. His years with Georgian gave him a new appreciation for the value of a college education.
Eric’s family and friends will forever be grateful for his sense of fairness, his sense of humour, his devotion to his family and his gentleness. His worsening dementia in this past year has served as a stark reminder of what we have lost.
Our heartfelt thanks to Eric’s physician of 25 years, Dr Michael Odlozinski, to the medical team at Soldiers’ Memorial and to the PSWs from ParaMed, who never failed to put a smile on Eric’s face when they arrived each day.
If you so wish, donations to Soldiers” Memorial Hospital or to the Alzheimer Society Simcoe County would be very much appreciated.
There will be no service at this time. Messages of condolence are welcomed at www.mundellfuneralhome.com
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