KNAPP, Alfred Arnold 'Arn' - (May 31, 1938 - August 10, 2019) -
Died peacefully at Mount Sinai hospital after a short and heroic battle with lymphoma surrounded by family
Beloved husband of Sandra June (Dowell) of Toronto, father of Stephen Arnold Willis and his wife Lesli Vanessa Hollett of Wabush, NL, and Suzanne Elizabeth, and her husband Blair William Krupchyn of Toronto.
Loving grandfather to Ethan, Cassandra, Cooper, Andria, and Victoria. Predeceased by parents Alfred and Gertrude, and brother Jack.
Arn was a true son of Toronto’s east end, spending his whole life living on a single street (albeit in different houses of course) near Coxwell and Queen, and going to school (first) at Duke of Connaught, then Danforth Tech. Later he attended Ryerson Institute of Technology, where he studied Metallurgy, graduating in 1960.
Often getting to and from school was accomplished most often by a car cobbled together by him and his friends, his much loved (and much ticketed) 1933 Ford roadster, with the open fenders, rumble seat, and white-wall tires.
Upon graduation, he immediately started working for the Canadian Copper & Brass Development Association (CCBDA) representing the copper, brass, and bronze industry in Canada. His first position was as a technical writer, but over the years he subsequently was promoted to Project Manager, Codes & Standards Liaison, and lastly Executive Director. He retired from the organization in 2002, after being with them for 42 years.
He also garnered numerous recognitions, citations, and lifetime awards from organizations like CIPH, ASTM, CSA, and OPIA (especially on codes and standards) for moving the industry forward on numerous fronts.
Over his career he travelled on their behalf to various countries and continents, working with other organizations and individuals to forward what was increasingly becoming a global business.
The friends he and Sandra developed over those years are many they still have to this day. In his later years, though, Arn enjoyed nothing more than sitting on his porch rather than travelling, much to the chagrin of Sandra.
As well, during those trips, and on various vacations and cruises, he got to indulge his other great passion, trying beer from far and wide. This was often procured from either a train station stand in a city like Madrid or Warsaw, or a rural store on a road trip to Texas or across the Maritimes.
Lastly, he loved being surrounded by friends and family, either (when younger) skiing in Quebec or Collingwood with Sandra, his father, and friends like Ross and Ted, or later cottaging, BBQing, and fishing with his own kids and grandkids. He most of all loved holidays, birthdays, and Sunday dinners with family where he was often the quiet centre of a whirling commotion of activity.
He will be greatly missed.
Finally, it should be noted the thoughtful and attentive care Arn received in his final days at Mount Sinai. They were, under incredibly trying circumstances, filled with dignity and patience. The doctors and the nurses of the ICU work under tremendously difficult conditions, but those working with Arn were terrific to both him and the family during this difficult time.
Visitation will be held at Giffen-Mack funeral home, 2570 Danforth Ave., Toronto on August 16th from 2 - 4pm and 7 - 9pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Arn's memory can be made to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
{fastsocialshare