It is with profound sadness we share that John died June 15, 2022 at Toronto Western Hospital.

Beloved husband of Maryjane Martin and father of Paula Sanderson. Cherished son of T. June Sanderson and the late Dr. H. Preston Sanderson, and brother of Susan Sanderson (Don McKenzie). Brother-in-law to Paul Martin (Donna Muzyka) and Gayle Martin (David Duncan), and uncle of Lauren and Heather Wilkie and Jack, Charlie and Ethan Martin.

John graduated from Queen’s as a mathematical engineer and for over 30 years worked in Information Technology for large corporations including IBM and CIBC winning the highest performance awards in both companies. Upon retirement he pursued a second career in video production and produced numerous corporate videos and short documentaries.

John was a loving husband, a devoted father who was so proud of his daughter and her accomplishments, and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. He loved the simple things in life, especially ice cream and his mother’s lemon chiffon cake. He loved making breakfast for his family and his waffles were legendary.

John was a life-long Minnesota Vikings football fan and played football every Sunday with his brother-in-law Don and a small group of friends, calling themselves the “North Toronto Football League.” He also liked to sail and windsurf, patiently teaching others the ropes.

If you could have only one true friend you would want it to be John. He was kind, generous with his time, knowledge and talent, and always ready to lend a helpful hand. He was a man of few words, but an extraordinary person who made the world a better place through his work and advocacy. He touched the lives of all those who knew him with his calm and steady disposition, his quick wit, and warm smile. He was a gentle man and a gentleman.

For over 10 years John volunteered with Habitat for Humanity (HFH) helping to build homes for more than 75 families in the GTA and in 2013, he was named Build Site Volunteer of the Year.
John’s work with HFH was a source of great satisfaction, not just because he was helping to provide safe homes for families, but that it provided him with an opportunity to share his construction knowledge with others and help them have new experiences and learn new skills. He enjoyed learning about construction, meeting new people, and the camaraderie and friendship of the HFH crew leaders and team.
Like his father before him, John was a true renaissance man with many interests, skills and talents. He played five musical instruments and was a fan of Bob Dylan, Santana and Johnny Cash. He delighted his nephews and nieces with magic tricks, renovated houses and cottages, and provided electrical expertise. To family, friends and neighbours he was a handy-man extraordinaire and the “go-to guy” to solve any computer-related problem.
His selflessness continued after his death as he donated his organs for transplant and research.

The family is deeply grateful to the team of doctors and researchers at the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic at Toronto Western Hospital who were a tremendous support and are an inspiration for the future treatment of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), and for the compassionate care that John received from his home caregivers Brianna, Jocelyn, Jay, John Patrick, Blessing, and Ale.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate the life of this truly remarkable and sweet man on Tuesday, July 5th from 6:30-8:30pm at the Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre, 375 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto.

In lieu of flowers, the family would gratefully appreciate a donation to Habitat for Humanity, Greater Toronto Area or the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic at Toronto Western Hospital.