MANSFIELD, James Paris (Peter)

October 25, 1929 - June 18, 2023
Peter died at the age of 93 at the Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care in London, Ontario. His very active and curious mind slowly lost ground to advancing dementia in his final few years but his gentle and playful personality was never lost to those around him. Peter was predeceased by his loving wife of 56 years, Enid Gertrude (nee Hamilton). He leaves behind four children: Mark, Catherine ‘Kate’ (Paul Nemy), Peter (Marilee) and Paul (Elaine). Peter is also survived by nine grandchildren: Morgan, Catherine, Maclean, Hyla, Nicola, Sam, Claire, Liam and Adam as well as a great-granddaughter Aurora.
Peter is also survived by his two brothers John Mansfield (Mavis, deceased) of Almonte and Dickson Mansfield (Barbara (deceased), Anne) of Kingston, Ontario.
Peter was raised by parents Leland and Catharine (nee Paris) on a mixed farm along the Ottawa River at what is now Prince of Wales Drive.
After receiving his B.Sc.(Forestry) in 1955 and then a Masters of Arts in 1958, from the University of New Brunswick, Peter & Enid were married in July of the same year. Based first at ‘Hilltop’ in a home they had built at the junction of the Rideau and Jock Rivers, Peter worked as the Arborist for the City of Ottawa until 1961. After catching the ‘teaching bug’, Peter and the family later moved to Kemptville where he worked as a professor at the Kemptville Agricultural College (now part of Guelph University).
In 1964, Peter and family re-located to Fonthill, Ontario where he was appointed program coordinator for the newly formed Horticultural Department at Niagara College. Peter retired in 1990 after teaching for over 25 years. Not content to put his shovel down, Peter consulted for the upgrading of the grounds at Upper Canada College in Toronto. This was naturally followed by a ‘re-landscaping’ initiative that transformed Mom & Dad’s modest grounds at the Wesley-Robins Retirement Village to an urban park with the planting of 29 new trees!
Our family wishes to offer our sincere gratitude to the caring and compassionate staff of Mount Hope Long Term Care Home where our father lived out his remaining four years.
The Visitation will be held at 10:00am on July 7th at Fonthill United Church, 42 Church Hill, Fonthill, ON, followed by a Funeral Service at 11:00am. Following a Private Family Internment, a Garden Reception will take place at Rice Road Greenhouses & Garden Centre, located at 1361 Rice Road, Welland, ON, between 12:30 & 2:30pm.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Peter’s memory to whatever organization you hold close to your heart.
Condolences may be shared at pelhamfuneralhome.ca