TERRETT, Joseph Michael “Mike” Terrett

He came into our lives on February 8, 1943 at the Oshawa General Hospital. He was the first of Geoff’s (1950) and Betty’s (1994) four children. Mike shared his early life with Margaret, Bill (Shirley), and Susan.

In recent years, he spent his days with the love of his life, Bonnie and he was accepted lovingly and fully by Bonnie’s family – her children Dean (Michelle), Drew (Nicole), and Sherri (Chris), her grandchildren Randi-Lynn (Ryan), Sarah (Dylan), Liam (Aidan), Rachel (Jay), Declan (Brea), and Aidan, as well as her great grandchildren Amora, Briar, Leo and Beckham.

Uncle Mike was loved whole lot by his nieces and nephews – Geoff (Danielle), Michelle (Glen), Cherie (Leo), Michael (Emma), and Patricia (Damien) and all the great nieces and nephews. Mike was loved and is fondly remembered by his extended family of cousins in Canada and in England.

Throughout his working life, Mike drove. He drove buses; he drove transports; he drove tractors – if it had an engine and could move, Mike likely drove it. After a brief stint at General Motors in Oshawa as a spot welder, he drove for Sutherland Brothers (Utica), the Toronto Transit Commission, Canadian Tire, Skelton Truck Lines, Acadian Drive Away and probably many others we couldn’t remember. One of Mike’s early jobs was as a rink rat at the Port Perry Arena working with Ellsworth Kennedy.

Mike was a genuine, authentic, and faithful friend. He met with several of his cronies every Saturday for breakfast for about fifty years. He was a caring person who watched out for those close to him, either with visits or phone calls to check in. Mike was the epitome of what a friend could be. Although Mike was a caring person, he held his cards very close to his chest when it came to himself so it was hard to know how he was feeling. Mike was devoted to his family and his friends and would go to the mat to defend any of them. He was always willing to help others without expecting anything in return.

During his retirement, Mike continued to work, driving a lawn tractor, cutting grass at Stonehenge Golf Course in Bowmanville. If you found Mike at home, he was probably reading, looking at an atlas, doing a Word Search or watching Wheel of Fortune followed by Jeopardy.

Mike loved to travel beyond where his trucks and cars would take him. In September of 2024 he and Bonnie took a trip to Ireland that they enjoyed immensely. In February of 2025, Mike and Susan went to England to surprise a cousin for his 90th birthday.

After a brief illness, Mike left our lives on December 28, 2025 in the same place where he came into our lives, Oshawa General Hospital. We shall miss him immensely but one thing that will remain strong are our memories of Mike.

Many thanks to all who cared for Mike and us in his last days at the Bowmanville Hospital and at the Oshawa General Hospital (Lakeridge Health). Your care and expertise is most appreciated.

Join us for a service to celebrate Mike’s life on January 8, 2026 at Low & Low Funeral Home at 1763 Reach Road, Port Perry at 11:00 a.m. There will be a reception to follow where we can share many more stories about Mike. We would appreciate it if you would consider making a donation to the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation or the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 419 – Port Perry in memory of Mike.