Obituary of John Charles Hartnett John was a firm believer in the healing powers of Duct Tape….and many of us benefited (and were possibly victimized?) by his ingenuity, and MacGyver-like skills, especially when duct tape was involved! There wasn't much that Johnny Fever couldn't fix...at least temporarily. Unfortunately, his lungs were one of the few things that were immune to that silvery gray magic, and after a long, and well fought battle, they finally gave out on him, but not before he squeezed an extra few years out of life! John passed away surrounded by his family, through laughter and tears, and on his terms. The way we all hope to go. John, Dad, Poppa, Uncle John, MacGyver, Johnny Fever. This guy was so many things to so many people. Chief among them was an incredible husband to Marion, father to Jen (Chad), and Poppa to Riley and Jackson. Born the youngest child of Charlie and Mary Byrne (nee Byrne) John did his growing up in Union Creek & Kinmount with his siblings; Marge (Brock McNamara) Cecile (Ray Guthrie) Helen (Buck LeGrow) Ralph (Helen - nee Hayes) and Charlene (Elmer Gosselin) Then it was on to Army Service, Transport, and Bus driving, and most recently, as a volunteer driver with Community Care, John was happiest behind the wheel. Some folks have fish stories, but John would rather tell you how he maneuvered an 18 wheeler into and out of the narrowest alley in all of downtown Toronto! Speaking of which, John was a great storyteller....you could count on a laugh and a good yarn whenever he was around. While he prided himself on being punctual, (something that was not genetically passed to his daughter), he was never in a rush. He always took time to chat, check in, and make you feel special. Oh, and he'd gladly serve up a kick in the backside if you needed one of those too! He loved spending time with his daughter, grandsons, siblings, in laws, nieces and nephews. He took pride in all of their accomplishments, and was often found singing the praises of various family members. He loved any kind of family gathering, and had many fond memories of Christmas parties, the famous Kinmount Fair, good times spent with good friends, and of course, the Hunting Camp. Any chance to connect, reminisce, and hone those storytelling skills. "Mr. Hartnett" gave the gift of his time to many people over the course of his life. As Director of The Canadian Knights Drum and Bugle Corps and The Spirit Winterguard for many years, he was a champion for the youth of Peterborough. Never too proud to shed a tear, you'd often see him wiping his eyes after a performance...Being a member of one of these groups meant being one of 'Mr. Hartnett's kids' which came with the weight of knowing you had to give it your all, and do your very best, but it also came with the reward of his immense pride when you did. In later years, he devoted himself to helping as a driver for Community Care. Even though his own health was failing, he never hesitated to do whatever he could for others. John had an affinity for Plaid, Nascar, Lawn Care, and all things Chocolate….particularly Reese's' Peanut Butter Cups...to be a daughter or grandson of John's was to know that your Halloween stash was going to be raided. He could also be bribed with the promise of Chocolate Pie. Johnny has requested a true Celebration of Life, so to that end, we invite friends to call in at Dr. J's BBQ & Brews - 282 Aylmer Street North, Peterborough, ON K9J 3K7 on Sunday January 21st at 1pm for a toast in his honour, epic storytelling, lots of laughs, and probably a few tears. In lieu of flowers, donations to Kawartha Food Share, or Community Care Peterborough would be greatly appreciated, and we hope that each person reading this is inspired to carry out a random act of kindness in honour of Johnny Fever….and please, "check your tire pressure".