It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of John Brian Funnell who passed away peacefully, on Sunday, January 4th, 2026, at the age of 91, surrounded by his family.

Beloved son of his late parents, Charles Noel Funnell and Alice Winifred (nee Purcell) and loving brother to the late Audrey Funnell. He was also a loving husband to Christine (58 years) and father to Sara (Rick), Claire, and Jonathan (Linda), in addition to being a proud grandfather to Courtney, Katerina, William, Evan, Ethan and Blake.

John was a kindhearted gentleman who always saw the best in others. He had a warm and infectious smile that lit up a room! John had a deep love for cars and motorbikes. He was a motorcycle racer in England during his 20’s, and in Canada, he was an active member of the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group (CVMG), holding many executive positions for nearly 4 decades. He was also one of the founding members of the CVMG “Great Pine Ridge” section.

After retiring from racing, John went on to become an Auto mechanic. He was a dedicated master mechanic at Jaguar and in 1991 was awarded the “Masters Technician Award” by Jaguar Canada Inc.

Alongside John’s love of cars and motorbikes, he also had a deep passion for music. He was a Bass Guitarist for many years and enjoyed listening to different genres of music, including classical, jazz, big band and classic rock! He took his love of music and opened a local Music School, Ontario Conservatory of Music, which operated for nearly 2 decades.

John was also a dedicated family man, who took great pride in his children and grandchildren. His influence can be seen in their love of Music, Motorbikes and Cars. He was proud of each of their accomplishments.

John’s passing has left a large void in the hearts of those who knew him. His legacy continues to carry on through his children and grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday January 31, 2026, at THORNTON FUNERAL CENTRE (1200 Thornton Road North, Oshawa, 905-579-6787) with visitation at 12:00 p.m. followed by the service at 2:00 p.m.