Julius (Jules) Diego Gaspar Fernandez
July 7, 1929 – May 1, 2026
"Goodbyes are not forever, are not the end; it simply means I’ll miss you until we meet again."
Jules lived a full and happy life for 96 years. He will be remembered as generous, kind, extremely witty, contemplative, and stunningly smart at trouble-shooting all things mechanical. He was devoted to his family, a person who never encountered a dessert he did not love, adventurous, and deeply devoted to his wife Sheila.
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Jules grew up in a large family. His mother, Justiana, and father, Dominic, raised a rambunctious group of sons—Pius, Harold, Joe—and a daughter, Kathleen (all predeceased). After his father passed away when Jules was nine, his mother ran the household with strength and love. Jules attended Dr. Ribeiro Goan School in Nairobi. He and his brothers were outdoor enthusiasts and motorheads, enjoying safaris, hunting, fishing, motorcycles, road rallies, and generally roaming the wild outdoors.
After seeing Sheila disembark a ship, Jules followed her because it was love at first sight, and eventually they married, moving to Mombasa to live with Sheila’s parents. Sheila and Jules were married for 69 years. Jules took a job at Saccone and Speed East Africa Distillery, responsible for operations. In 1965, the family immigrated to Toronto, where Jules continued his career at McGuinness Distillery, working for decades until the company was sold. He truly enjoyed his McGuinness family.
Jules loved his sister’s sons—Clive (Alba), Errol (Eileen), Raymond (Sarah), Cary (Kim), pre-deceased by Danny (Pearl), and Cedric—and their extended families, as well as his brother’s family in Nairobi, Terry, Blossom, Teckla and their partners and families . They all adored their Uncle Jules.
He leaves behind his immediate family: Sheila, Ian (Maria), Melanie (Brian), and his grandchildren Marissa, Hailey, Evan, and Cole, as well as his best buddy Rusty. They will all miss him terribly.
The family wishes to thank Jules’ long-time doctor, Dr. Wayne Lau, the remarkable palliative team, including Dr. Justin Chopra from Dorothy Ley Hospice, and the Spectrum team, including Coordinator John and nurses Jaspreet, Baljinder, and Veerpal. Special thanks go to the exceptional caregivers—Joanah, whom Jules loved to tease, Kasia, Jemma, and Janice. Many thanks also to all family and friends for their years of support.
Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Nativity of Our Lord Church (480 Rathburn Rd, Etobicoke, ON M9C 3S8 ), followed by a reception in the church hall.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be make to:
Canadian Food for Children: canadianfoodforchildren.net
Dorothy Ley Hospice: dlhospice.org

“God saw you getting tired . . . So he put his arms around you and whispered come to Me”. With tearful eyes we watched you and saw you pass away. Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard-working hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.”