RIORDAN JOSEPH (RORY) TIMMERS

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RIORDAN JOSEPH (RORY) TIMMERS

With family at his side, Riordan Joseph (Rory) Timmers passed away on Saturday, March 27, 2021, at peopleCare AR Goudie long-term care home in Kitchener, Ontario. He was 70 years old.
Rory was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to parents Barney and Frieda (née Schmidt) and raised in Charleswood. While not suited to conventional education, he was a true student of the world. He held a variety of jobs, running his own carpentry business before pursuing his passion for organic vegetable farming during his years on the family acreage outside of Oakville. He was a fixture at the St. Norbert Farmers' Market and served as president of the Portage Farmers' Market, where he entertained customers with his enthusiastic banjo playing. He was famous for his organic garlic, especially his pickled garlic, a bestseller far and wide; his success led to an appearance on a 1997 broadcast of the CBC's Coleman and Company, of which he was very proud. In later years he lived in St. Eustache and worked as a custodian at St. Paul's Collegiate in Elie. A lifelong visual artist, he taught drawing at St. Paul's through Art Smarts. His paintings and drawings travelled the province with the Manitoba Rural and Northern Juried Art Show. Of his work, an adjudicator commented, "Kinesis pulses everywhere." As in art, so in life.
Predeceased by his parents, elder brother David, and partner of many years, Penny Stewart, Rory is survived by brothers, Shannon, Barney Jr. and Donovan; children, Ryan (Hayley), Kate (Andrew) and Beth (Matt); grandchildren, Norah, Simon, Linnet and Mica; and many nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Victoria Place and peopleCare AR Goudie, Kitchener, for their compassionate care.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Manitoba Arts Network at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/9758 or by mail at 203 - 100 Arthur Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 1H3.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 03, 2021