Frederick Frank Gaskin

Fred was born in Galt, Ontario (now Cambridge) on April 17, 1935 and died of prostate cancer on December 11, 2024. Son of the late Harold E. Gaskin M.B.E. (Major, H.L.I. during the 2nd world war) born, Birmingham, England and the late Marie Rohleder, born Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario.

Attended elementary school while his mother managed the family insurance business when his father was overseas with the Canadian army during the war and then attended Galt Collegiate Institute.

He earned his F.I.I.C/Fellow of the Insurance Institute of Canada (Toronto) designation in 1960 through University of Toronto Extension, (a five-year course)

Fred joined the family insurance agency in 1955 and took charge of the business following the death of his father in 1960. Following a merger of the Gaskin and Marshall insurance offices in 1978, Fred and his new partner, Ed Bradley, led Bradley Gaskin Marshall Insurance Brokers Limited through a series of acquisitions to form a major insurance office in Cambridge which celebrated its centenary – 1900-2000. Fred stepped down as president in 2005 having sold his interest in the business and entered retirement.

He was involved in many endeavours during his fifty-year insurance career including president of the Galt Preston Hespeler Insurance Agents Association, executive member of the Conestoga Chapter of the Insurance Institute of Ontario, member of the Society of Fellows of the Insurance Institute of Canada, a Name at Lloyd’s of London and secretary-treasurer of CALM (Canadian Association of Lloyd’s Members), and other organizations.

Other local volunteer activities included two terms as a member of the Board of Governors of the University of Waterloo and two terms as a member and secretary of the Board of Governors of the Cambridge Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Fred was active behind the scenes in the political life of Cambridge for a number of years. He was a member of the M.P.’s Constituency Advisory Council and was a provincial constituency Chief Financial Officer from 1975 to 2011, the last remaining C.F.O. from the original appointments following the passing of the Ontario Election Reform Act of 1975. For 36 years, everyone was fair game for Fred’s political fundraising which contributed to one of the strongest constituency associations in Ontario.

He had a lifelong passion for recreational canoeing, forty years of which from 1970 to 2010 he paddled many northern rivers in Canada and Siberia. Three of these expeditions were the first Canadian trips to retrace the historic journeys of the original explorers of the Royal Navy and Geological Survey of Canada. One such event was retracing Captain Sir George Back’s 1834 Royal Navy canoe expedition on the Back River which was recognized by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau on the front steps of Galt Collegiate Institute in October of 1972.

In recognition of his canoeing exploits Fred was a:

Fellow of the Explorers Club (New York)

Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London)

Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (Ottawa)

Numerous accounts of these canoeing activities have been written by Fred, appearing in publications in Canada, England and the United States including a Canadian best seller- Wild Waters by Key Porter.

Fred’s years in retirement have been devoted to a 2.2-acre property on Healy Lake, situated between Lake Joseph and Georgian Bay. There he would spend weeks on-end working the forest, enjoying life on the dock, swimming and canoeing with his friends, playing euchre with the locals and engaging in a losing battle with the resident wild life. In addition, he enjoyed staying at his hotel condo at One King West in Toronto following the Explorers Club monthly dinner meetings. The unit was designated by the hotel as the Gaskin Suite which the hotel promoted as their feature suite and their unofficial bridal suite. It was a real condo.

Many an evening was spent with friends playing cards. One monthly such (poker) event has a history in excess of sixty years with an annual trophy presentation for the financial winner for the year. Fred’s name is recorded on the trophy only once. He may not have been a card expert.

Fred loved history. Fred loved telling stories. Fred loved people.

He leaves his sister, Mary Ann, for whom he was very appreciative of the care given by her which allowed him to stay in his home until his final five days at Lisaard House. A heartfelt thanks to the staff at Lisaard House during those days. And many thanks to the Community Palliative Care team, especially nurse Erin, for their support in helping Mary Ann during his stay at home during the past several months. And he was very thankful to his friend Duane who drove him many times to his beloved cottage property when he was unable to drive. He leaves cousins in Ontario, England and the United States. And he leaves so many close canoe mates both male and female.

There will be a celebration of life at the Galt Country Club at 750 Coronation Blvd Cambridge on April 17, 2025 from 3-6pm, the day he would have turned 90 years old.

A funeral mass will be held at St Gregory's Church in Cambridge on Thursday, December 19th at 11:00am. All are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in his memory to Lisaard House or the Canadian Canoe Museum or a charity of your choice.