Mr. Michael 何保根先生

Obituary of Mr. Michael Po Kan Ho 何保根先生

Please share a memory of Mr. Michael to include in a keepsake book for family and friends.

(March 5th, 1937 to November 21st, 2024)

It is with sadness that we inform you that our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend passed peacefully late in the afternoon of Thursday the 21st of November at the age of 87. Most friends and relatives will remember him as an affable, happy person. His wife of 55 years Judy Wan Ying Ho would in part attribute his relatively long life to his calm and contented demeanor (despite eating what he wished, exercising very little and having a vice or two!).

 

Born in March of 1937 in Hong Kong, he was the brother to eight siblings who survived childbirth. His life took a turn as a young teenager with the passing of his father and main breadwinner. He became a mechanic’s apprentice soon after and held several jobs as a mechanic including working for years on a steam ship that travelled to many places all around the world.

 

After his marriage in Fall of 1969, he had two sons, Frederick and Geoffrey, and the young family moved to Toronto in 1975. He had been certified in Hong Kong by a multinational elevator company that operated in Canada but like many immigrants, he did not find work in his immediate field. In Canada, he worked first as a sewing machine mechanic for some years and then as an assistant manager at a KFC until his long retirement.

 

Many of his friends and relatives will know he had a love of gambling although it was always in moderation. Despite not being particularly lucky, he seemed most joyful whether playing Mah-Jong with his friends and siblings or their spouses or at the horse racetrack on Sunday afternoons with his siblings especially Po Hong. He loved all of his siblings dearly but had a special bond with Po Hong who was an endless source of wisdom and support.

 

There was nothing like the gleam in his eyes and the genuine warmth of his smile when Michael was with his four grandchildren, Devin and Sydney (Geoffrey) as well as Simone and Jules (Fred). He seemed happiest when they all visited for the afternoon and stayed for big family dinners. He also genuinely adored Devin and Sydney’s mom, Deanna, as well as Simone and Jules’ mom, Sarah.

 

Relatives of his wife’s side of the family, especially Garie, her mother, and Garie’s husband Razali who all lived a five-minute walk away were a constant source of companionship, good meals, and help.

 

Survived by many good friends, as well two siblings, Winnie and Paul, and more nieces and nephews than anyone can reasonably count (most of us give up when we get into the mid-30s trying to name them all).

 

He was predeceased by too many relatives and friends to name but all played a role in a life that was humble but also rich in all the ways that mattered.