March 27, 1952 - March 5, 2024
Michael John Delisle died at the age of 71 in his home on Tuesday evening, March 5th. He suffered a heart attack, dying instantly.
Waves of shock and great sadness have travelled between family and friends. Our grief and feelings of loss reflect the love we had for Mike and he had for us.
Mike and his wife Sandra met when they were seventeen and this past May celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with their three children, three children-in-law and four grandchildren. Mike and Sandra have shared the kind of love we read about in the story books. They were friends: they respected and looked up to one another, laughed with and loved each other, found their way together through a beautiful life, often stepping just outside of the expected paths. They told all who knew them how much they loved each other. And their love was as true and deep.
Mike and Sandra started their marriage together as students. Mike received his B.A. in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University where years later he completed his MBA; Sandra finished her PhD during their years as new parents. Mike was proud of his wife’s accomplishments and daily told her how much he loved her.
They had three children who each reflect the gifts their dad bestowed upon them: integrity, moral strength, business acumen and a view of life that includes the beauty this world has to give. And Mike instilled, by his example, the importance of helping others.
He was a member of the Guelph Community Foundations Board and The St. Joseph’s Hospital Board and over the years worked tirelessly for the CCAC and LHIN and recently was on a city commission looking into solutions for the unhomed. Earlier in life he coached his son’s hockey teams, helped with school fundraisers, worked with political groups including Edmonton’s Mel Hurtig’s efforts in the 70’s for a Party for an Independent Canada, admiring George Grant’s Lament for a Nation.
Mike’s 3 children, 3 in-laws, 4 grandchildren and wife were his joy in life and he gave them every kind of love and attention a father or husband can give. His children are Amy McCormick Delisle and son-in-law Andrew Kirwin; daughter Emily McCormick Delisle and son-in-law Paul Devoe; and, youngest, his son Gregory Michael McCormick Delisle and daughter-in-law Vanessa (Nagy) Delisle. All have received one or more university degrees, all have learnt the importance of education, hard work, self reliance and love of life through the example and words of their beloved dad Michael Delisle.
Mike’s daughter Emily and daughter-in-law Vanessa worked side by side with Mike in his family business for twenty years, learning from the best, being mentored by a loving father. Both women now hold leadership roles with DNV Business Assurance: Emily as Director of North America and Vanessa as Resource Manager. Mike’s daughter Amy studied law and since graduating became partner, then managing partner of KMBLaw. Gregory studied art, graduating with a BFA from OCAD U and pursues his interests in painting primarily through commission work. How very proud Mike was of his three children and how much fun he had with them, always making huge celebrations of the milestones of life.
‘Grandpa’ became one of Mike’s favourite monikers these past twelve years as he formed beautiful relationships with his grandchildren: William Michael and Abigail Josephine Kirwin and Ella Ann and Owen Gregory Devoe. Mike could not have loved them more and each of them enjoyed the comfort that comes from unconditional love.
Michael was one of five children of war veteran Henry Delisle and Natalie (Montagano) Delisle. His brothers Robert (Wendy Dahl) and Peter (Bette Richmond) and sisters Susan (Lee Gross) and Barbara have lost a friend and brother. Mike, since his 17th year, has also embraced and been loved by the McCormick family: Sandra’s parents Wil McCormick and Sophie (Michalek) McCormick loved Mike as did Sandra’s siblings Diane (Ian Hornsby), Carol (Fernie Martin), Michael (Debbie Deschamps), Paul (Patti) and Joan (Andre Grzegorczyk). Mike was loved by his nieces and nephews and by oh so many others who had the privilege of getting to know this vibrant man.
Mike and Sandra’s life together took them from Kitchener-Waterloo to Edmonton to Peterborough and finally to Guelph in 1983 where they have spent the rest of their life together. Mike’s career took him from construction collective agreements with ACLRA in Edmonton to GE in Peterborough to ABB in Guelph. But he was always an entrepreneur at heart. Mike explained, “I always trusted my own abilities more than the perceived security of a full-time job with a regular pay cheque.” So in 1990 he gave up a high level human resource position with ABB and started his own business McCormick Delisle & Associates Inc, first working out of the family home’s unfinished basement.
Mike has travelled the world in his career learning about other people, other ways, other viewpoints. His work took him to Pakistan in the 80’s, and for the following three decades to Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Sweden, Japan, Germany, France and England and many parts of Canada and the United States. With intelligence and by understanding the changes the work world was demanding, he shifted to Quality Improvement and ISO 9001 certification services. Ten years later he sold the business to KPMG and then partnered with TUV eventually buying them out and rebranding as The Registrar Company which was sold to DNV an international company in 2022. Mike’s success from turning a start-up from a desk in his basement to a company worth multi millions of dollars is just one testament to his abilities.
The primary testament will always be his love of Sandra, his children and grandchildren, his and Sandra’s siblings and parents and his dear friends. He will be missed in the deepest parts of the hearts and minds of those of us who have loved Mike. From this point on life will be different, will be less than, for our loss of Mike in our lives. But our lives will be forever richer having know him.
The family of Michael Delisle invite all who know and cared about him and his family to join them at Cutten Fields on Saturday March 16th from 1:00 to 4:00. There will be speeches starting at 2:00. Food and drinks will be provided. All of Mike’s favourite things will be there: his family, his friends, speeches and stories, laughter and tears, food and drinks.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Guelph Community Foundation. Mike has been an active member of the foundation’s board and we will set up a fund in Mike’s name to give back and strengthen our Guelph community. Many thanks from the McCormick Delisle family.
https://guelphcf.ca/
Care for the family provided by Passages Cremation and Burial