We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Fred Fingler, beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, and friend, at the age of 70.

Born in Port Arthur in 1956 as the youngest of five children, Fred spent his life in Northwestern Ontario, where he built a life grounded in family, hard work, and quiet humour. While his siblings spread across Canada, Fred found family in the one he married into, gaining not only a loving wife in Karen (Kiki) but a large extended family that became his own. He was a cherished brother-in-law to the Winfield sisters and their husbands, and a proud uncle to six nieces and nephews and four great nieces and nephews. Fred was also an avid dog lover and leaves behind his Westie, Fiona, as well as grand-dogs Rosie and Ellie. Across the Rainbow Bridge, Skeeter, Winnie, and Zoey are eagerly waiting to greet him once again.

Above all else, he was a devoted husband to Karen and a proud father to Graeme and Ryley. His greatest joy came when his granddaughters, Maisie and Emilia, were born in 2023. He was a devoted grandpa who treasured every moment he could spend with his girls. Even in his last weeks, some of his happiest moments were when they’d climb into his hospital bed for snuggles.

Endlessly curious, Fred picked up hobbies ranging from wood carving to scuba diving over the years. We often joked that he was a 12-year-old boy in a grown man’s body, always fascinated by something new and eager to learn, tinker, or dive headfirst into his latest interest. In his later years, he spent countless hours each December building an intricate Christmas village, where each building, tree, and resident had its own role and story.

He was equal parts inquisitive and devoted, and could figure almost anything out if it meant helping his loved ones. Family and friends knew they could always count on him — whether they needed help repairing something, advice, or simply a laugh. His happiest place was at camp, where he loved spending time with family, tackling his next project, and sitting by the fire with the people he loved most.

We are devastated that he won’t be here to watch his grandchildren grow up. Through every hurdle he faced, they were his reason for continuing to fight. We are especially heartbroken that he left us before getting a chance to meet his grandson, Jay Fredrick Fingler, who was born just hours after Fred’s passing. Though they never met, we take comfort in the fact that Jay carries his grandpa’s name. We hope that he grows up with Fred’s kindness, curiosity, and quiet strength.

We’ll miss his quick wit, his willingness to help, and his unwavering love for his family. We’ll miss rolling our eyes when he’d insist, “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” We’ll miss his answers for everything — even the ones he made up on the spot. We will miss him forever.

Our family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the transplant team at Toronto General Hospital, whose extraordinary skill gave us precious additional time with Fred, and to the physicians, nurses, and staff on 3C at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre for the compassion and kindness they showed him and our family throughout his final days. Your dedication will never be forgotten.

Fred was predeceased by his parents, Henry and Margaret Fingler. He is survived by his loving wife, Karen; his children, Graeme (Olivia Levesque) and Ryley Moorhead (Taylor); his granddaughters, Maisie and Emilia; his grandson, Jay; his father-in-law Gordon and mother-in-law Patsy; sisters- and brothers-in-law; nieces and nephews; and many friends who were lucky enough to know him.

A celebration of Fred’s life will be held at the Italian Cultural Centre, 132 Algoma St. S., on July 27 at 12pm. In lieu of flowers or monetary donations, we encourage you to consider discussing organ donation with your family. Though it will never be enough, Fred’s liver transplant gave us precious additional time together, and we hope others may choose to share that same gift with another family.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”