Neil F. Purcell

Neil F. Purcell passed away on March 29, 2026, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, Ontario.  He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Livia, as well as his son, Brian, his daughter-in-law Heather, and his grandchildren Megan and Meredith.

He was born on September 2, 1941, in Thornaby on Tees, England.  His parents emigrated to Picton, Ontario where he spent his growing up years.  At age 18, after finishing high school, he started to work at the Bank of Commerce (which later became the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) where over the years he held numerous domestic managerial positions, then moved over to the international side of banking.  He worked in New York, established and managed the representative offices in Dallas, Texas; San Francisco, California; and Denver, Colorado.  After retiring from CIBC, at one point, he established his own company in tax consulting.

Neil had many interests.  He had a great knowledge of history, business and philosophy.  He loved airplanes, trains and cars.  He was passionate about his little 1974 MGB, and even gave a name to it; he called it “Mrs. Thatcher”, and his greatest joy was flying on the Concorde.

He was a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Painter - Stainers in London, England and a member of the Freedom of the City of London, England.  He was also a lifetime member, and past Master of The Honourable Company of Freemen of the City of London of North America, and also was a member of the Knightly Order of St. George, a charitable organization to improve the well-being of the Canadian veterans.

Neil was very sociable, loved people and was a great communicator.  Dogs and cats had a special place in his heart.  He was a Big Brother for many years and served in his church as a lay anointer and server.  He was a gentleman and a gentle man who was always trying to make the world a better place.  He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and loved him.

The family wishes to express a special thank you to the IOOF Long Term Care for their dedication and kindness for making Neil’s short stay with them happy and comfortable.

Visitation will take place at the St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church (161 Hanmer St. W., Barrie, ON), on Saturday, June 6^th, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to the time of the service at 11:30 a.m.
After the service concludes at 12:30 p.m. there will be a Celebration of Life at the Bull and Barrel Pub (75 Cedar Pointe Dr., Barrie, ON) from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Safe Haven for Donkeys , Street Cats Rescue (STREETCATSRESCUE@HOTMAIL.COM), or the SPCA.