It is with heavy hearts that the family announces the passing of Neil Douglas Carlyle, on Sunday, March 3, 2024, in his 88th year.
Neil will be forever lovingly remembered by his children Sue (Bill), Karen (Oscar), Cathy (Mark), and Andy (Shannon), by his grandchildren Chris (Alex), Matt, Jenny, Bea (Juan), Emily, Rex, Victoria, Jacob, and Alyssa, by his surviving sister Carol, and by his extended family and friends. Predeceased by his wife, Marilyn, his brother John Richard “Jackie” and his parents Leila and Doug.
Neil was born in Brantford, Ontario, on March 14, 1936, the eldest of 3 children born to Leila and Doug, both of whom were one of 11 children in their own families. As a child, Neil loved the outdoors and physical activity, and was always on the lookout for new adventures. His love of swimming and diving in the Grand River and YMCA eventually led to him swimming and diving for the University of Western Ontario and McMaster University, and teaching and coaching at Northview Heights SS in North York for thirty years.
Neil had other adventures outside work too, from dancing with his wife of 64 years, Marilyn, competing in wilderness games with his Northview colleagues, camping with his family, and attending the many special events of his grandchildren. Perhaps the most inspiring adventures to his family were the ways he chose to stay active in his retirement: from swimming 100 lengths at the YMCA pool three times a week, to swimming for the Ontario Senior Games and Canada Senior Games from 2002 to 2012, ‘swimming his way across Canada’, from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Whitehorse, Yukon. Outside of all of this physical activity, Neil loved to ‘breathe in’ nature, from the sight of the forest he planted in his back yard, the sight and sound of the myriad birds flocking to his feeders, the feel of his great-grandfurbabies in his arms (the grandchildren’s pets), to the beautiful congregation of swans in Burlington Bay.
Family and friends will be received at WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 206 Norfolk St., Guelph, on Sunday, March 24 from 2-3 pm. A Memorial Service will immediately follow in the Funeral Home Chapel at 3:00 pm. Following the service, all are welcome for a time of fellowship & refreshments in the Wall-Custance Family Reception Centre, located downstairs from the Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions to the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart & Stroke Foundation, Trumpeter Swan Conservation Ontario or the Mountsberg Raptor Centre.
A tree will be planted in memory of Neil D. Carlyle in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest.