Dearest Karina and family,
We are very sorry for your loss. Michael was a remarkable person who touched many of us with his dedication, scholastic support and presence.  We will always remember and appreciate his continued support and guidance towards Lauren on numerous sports teams. 
Wishing you peace during this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Sending our deepest condolences,
Lauren and Tatjana Emer

Reading all the comments of Michael’s students is amazing and comforting that he has made a difference in so many lives. There are no words for the legacy he has left behind. What an impactful life he lived. Cha cha Ji, Karina, Rita, Julie, Maya, Ryan and Aidan I know no one  can make your pain go away, sending healing prayers and comforting hugs your way. 
-Toni Gill

Michael was an exceptional person whose gentle nature, strong leadership and humility will be missed. We remember a great friend and a great husband to our dear friend Karina. Micheal you are loved, you are remembered, you are treasured. Our hearts are heavy but we also celebrate your life during this time. Your life and now your passing have drawn us together Michael. We love you 🖤.

Mr. Gill was a one of a kind man. He was not only a teacher, he was a leader, a true supporter and a life-changing presence in many people’s lives.  As you can see from everyone’s messages, there wasn’t a single person he didn’t leave better than he found them. 

Mr. Gill taught grade 5, grade 7 & 8 science, tabla, gym, AND coached all the teams I played on at CWSA. - He was my biggest cheerleader, especially when it came to sports. 

We also shared our Indian heritage and so when he entrusted me to choreograph a tabla dance for our annual end of year show, I knew we had a special bond. 

I will never forget how supported and loved Mr. Gill made me and everyone else around him feel, no matter what was happening. - What a truly special gem. 

Rest in peace Mr. Gill. Your impact will never die, and your light will continue to shine. ✨ 

Much love to your family, and I am praying for your peace and the protection of all your loved ones. 🤲🏽

We'll miss you Mike .. the fellas of Johnston 4S ('89)

I am so heartbroken to hear about Mr. Gill's passing. He was the most incredible man with the warmest smile, and I feel so lucky to have been his student. 

He was everything you wanted a teacher to be. Dedicated, creative, funny. I remember our whole grade salivating over Gill Bills (a genius system he implemented to encourage us to be kind, help around the classroom, push ourselves to be great). His sneezes were so loud, he made the room shake and we'd all laugh. He made us do the beep test and we STILL adored him to bits. If that doesn't tell you his impact on us, I don't know what does. 

My fondest memory of him was in grade eight, when all of my friends made it onto the basketball team. He saw my noodle arms and toothpick legs and I just knew he was thinking 'this girl will not survive a single game'. But he put me on the team anyway. I still don't know why. Maybe he could see I was lonely. Or needed more muscle. Either way, it was the most fun I'd ever had. Mr. Gill drove us to Dairy Queen after we won a big game. He loved seeing us happy, and we loved making him proud. I think of him often. 

I'm sending so much love to his family and his children. He always lit up when he spoke about them. I'll miss him and will never forget his incredible spirit.

I feel fortunate to have had Mr. Gill as a teacher when I attended Claude Watson, almost 16 years ago now. I would not be the person I am today if not for my time at CWSA, and Mr. Gill was a big part of that.

Mr. Gill was everything you’d hope for in an educator, always leading with kindness, joy, and positivity. His love for teaching shone through in everything he did; from Gill bills, to tabla, to extracurriculars, you could tell he deeply cared about his students. His encouraging and supportive presence instilled in me a sense of autonomy and confidence that are so affirming at a young age. Mr. Gill always made me feel like my ideas were valued and respected. He brought a magic to the classroom that is rare and I'll forever appreciate.

My deepest condolences go out to his loved ones. I hope comfort and light can be found in knowing the positive impact he had on so many many young lives, and that is still being felt today.

We are heartbroken for you all. Michael was a highschool friend to me  and then a teacher to my daughter Saskia who often commented how  kind, creative and caring he was at Earl Haig. We want to send our sincere condolences and hugs to the entire family. May his memories last forever.

I am so sorry to hear this sad news. I was a friend of Mikes in high school and he was always such a happy and gentle soul. We (our friend group) had such a blast together during those years. I know he will be greatly missed. My deepest condolences to his wife, three children and family. I am very sorry to not be able to attend the service, (I am out of the country), please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you all. 

All my heart,
Vanessa Mitchell

To Karina, Rita and to your families..I'm so sorry for your loss.  Mike touched so many lives and in so many positive ways ..he will be missed by many..You're all in my thoughts at this difficult time...God Bless

Mr.Gill was one of my favourite teachers when I attended Claude Watson.  He is an incredibly kind, thoughtful, and good man with a humour that always would put me at ease.  I’m grateful to have known him and send the family all my love in this time of transition.   Rest in power Mr. Gill

Mr. Gill was my grade 8 teacher at Avondale public school and he made my final year so fun! He let the class call him by his first name and we would always just say it out loud all the time. He was always so kind, patient, funny and reasonable and he would encourage people in my class and in general to do their best and get them out of their comfort zone which I loved. I still had core memories of him when our class had to go into quarantine twice and he would make class so much better than it could be. We would play so many different class games and he would even let us choose, have great class discussions, go into break out rooms a lot and when we had to present our presentations to the class he would still show so much interest as if we were actually in the classroom. One of my favourite times during the quarantine was when we did “deal or no deal” exercise workouts and everyone would look so funky just doing pushups and jumping jacks and he would cheer us on and laugh. I still remember when I emailed him that I got into the high school I wanted to get into and he was so happy for me and even told the whole class about it on Zoom. The last time I saw him was 2023 when he was starting to battle ALS and he walked through my neighbourhood to go somewhere. We talked for a few minutes and I was so glad to see him after a long time and to me it looked like he was dealing with his current situation well. He was probably one of my favourite teachers ever at Avondale and he is going to be deeply missed. My condolences go out to the family and I hope that you know that he is going to be forever in your hearts and his impact, spirit and memory will live on if you continue to keep it existing!

My daughter attended Claude Watson where Michael was a teacher. As a father of one of his students I deeply appreciated Michael’s genuine heart for his students. He really cared for these kids and it was seen in how he volunteered his time to coach many teams for the school. I even got to help him out. He was a humble, caring, sincere, positive blessing of a man!! I know he will be missed by so many people who he has impacted over the years. Till we all meet again.

I was shocked to hear this news. He was the last person who I would think this would happen to. He was invincible in my eyes. What a tremendous loss for everyone and future students. My heart goes out to the Gill family and I cannot imagine what all of you are going through. I hope Mr.Gill is in a better place now. 

He was one of those teachers that you would never forget about. I vividly remember all the memories I had with Mr.Gill in the five years of being in CWSA. He embodied what it is to be a teacher. He was able to connect with his students and sincerely tried to help them improve. I remember the early mornings that he arrived for track and field practice, his after-school tabla music group, his initiation of an European handball league, his fun science projects, and most of all, his gym classes. I was looking forward to gym class with him every week. I remember my day would feel wasted when a substitute teacher was there instead of him. He was able to run his gym class organized and efficiently while getting us involved in a higher degree of physical activity.  I still remember in "Celebrations" how he introduced his wife and daughter to me as I was entering the performance hall for one of the acts. That goes to show the genuine kindness he had for a 12-year-old.

His time and effort invested into education will never be forgotten by every student he has come across. I am sure that he had a significant impact outside of work life as well. I am grateful to have had him as a teacher. 

I hope the Gill family can find peace at this time.

If our tears of sorrow could speak,
They would talk of heartbreaking loss,
Of love that shines through tragedy
And of the endless ocean.

With great sadness that I write this. Michael was truly an amazing man. His smile, humor and love for his family friends, teaching and coaching is inspirational.  We shared a few beers, some volleyball games and many laughs. My deepest condolences go to his family and his wife Karina.

Just like many others, I, too, was among the fortunate bunch to have had Mr. Gill as my grade 5 teacher (back in 2004-2005). Twenty years later, he is still remembered as one of the most impactful, kind, supportive and empowering figures in my life. Mr. Gill's 5-2 classroom was a place of fun, learning and development. We were all so lucky to have had Mr. Gill as a role model in those formative years. 

Our CWSA crew is still very much in touch.  We followed Mr. Gill's journey these past few years and are all saddened by his loss. He truly left a mark on us all. We are all sending love and support to the family at this difficult time.

Sorry for your loss. My prayers and thoughts are with you during this difficult time. 🙏

Michael and Karina were teachers to both my children. How fortunate for our family, that we had such wonderful teachers and role models in our lives. Avondale and CWSA were special places because of teachers like them - spreading inspiration and joy at every opportunity. 

While I'm incredibly sad about Michael's premature passing, I am also grateful to have known him. May he be at peace.

Sending my love to Karina and all of Michael's loved ones.

Our deepest sympathies to the entire Gill family on the loss of your dear Michael. May your very best memories of him bring you peace and comfort.

I am devastated to hear about Michael’s passing, though grateful I had the chance to teach with him and know him for so many years.  Michael was a truly amazing person.  Even in the middle of his battle with this horrible disease, i was very impressed with the positive outlook he kept, and his strength of character. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

I’ve know Michael since our days at Blessed Trinity elementary school and I remember him as being a kind, happy guy. Seeing Michael again years later at a ‘BT Reunion’ was awesome. He turned into a lovely, intelligent and kind man. We all had such a fun night!

It must be heartbreaking, to say the least, to lose such an amazing husband, father, son, brother and friend.  My deepest condolences - you are all in my thoughts. May your wonderful memories of Michael fill your hearts with love.

Mr. Gill was my teacher all throughout my 5 years at CWSA and was my coach in all of the sports that I participated in. Most, if not all, of my fondest memories from my time at CWSA were with Mr. Gill and I'll be forever grateful for the lessons he taught me. 

He was my homeroom teacher in 5-2 (almost about 15 years ago now) and I remember being so proud to have him as my teacher. Being a runner, on top of my time in the classroom with him, I spent a lot of time with Mr. Gill for extracurriculars like T&F and cross country meets. These were undoubtedly some of the best memories from my elementary/middle school days and I am so blessed to be able to say I had an educator like Mr. Gill in my life.

Naturally as a pre-teen, I would have many moments in school where I would be out of control. At my age now, I am beyond appreciative to have had a teacher like Mr. Gill in my life that kept me in line and real with me when it mattered. It's rare these days to have an educator like Mr. Gill that not only teaches academics/athletics, but important life qualities like humility and respect. He will remain one of the most impactful figures I've had growing up and I'll be forever grateful.

My sincere condolences to his family and loved ones in this difficult time.

Mr. Gill - thank you for everything. May you rest in peace.

Mr Gill was my grade 5 Science teacher at CWSA. I remember very distinctly looking up to him as a bright,  charming, and incredibly kind man. Still one of my favorite school projects ever, he had us create well insulated dog houses and present them to the class for our summative. There were some really creative submissions and his science class taught me so much. I'm eternally grateful to Mr. Gill and he will be dearly missed. Karina also taught me when I was an even smaller child at Avondale. I loved her just as much as Mr.Gill (she let me play RuneScape on the school computer) and cannot bear to think about what the family is going through right now. Wishing you all lots of love, and many thanks for all the wonderful teachings you have imparted upon me.

Mr. Gill was one of the most impactful teachers I had as a student at Claude Watson. He was my homeroom teacher for 5-2 about 21 years ago, and to this day, I have very fond memories of him. He was a light hearted person and made students laugh alot of the time, but he also had a serious side that showed he truly cares for his students growth and success. And who can forget the notorious Gill Bills he would reward students with?

Although we haven't crossed paths since the days of Claude, his ways of teaching has certainly made a huge impact on shaping me to who I am today as an adult. 

My deepest condolences and prayers to his family and loved ones in this difficult time.

There's no doubt in my mind that Mr. Gill is my favorite teacher of all time. Though it’s been many years now,  I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had him as my teacher throughout my years at Claude Watson, and to have been a part of his legendary 5-2 homeroom.

Mr. Gill always treated me with respect and made me feel confident and valued whenever I was in his presence. His classes were always the highlight of my day, and I eagerly enrolled in Tabla every chance I got, despite absolutely being one of the least skilled drummers in the group. I simply couldn't pass up the chance to hang out with the coolest teacher in school. His trademark class currency, 'Gill Bills,' will undoubtedly remain a thing of legend. Thanks for making those years so epic, Mr. Gill.

I can only imagine how difficult this time must be for his friends and family. Sending my deepest condolences.

My deepest heartfelt condolences to the entire Gill family.  I met Michael in elementary school and although we lost touch later on, we were able to connect over Facebook. Following him through social media, Michael never seemed to change from the kind, sweet, and sensitive person I remember him as. And always with that radiant and disarming smile on his face! I am sure he touched many lives as a family man, a friend, and a teacher, and was well-loved by all. He will be greatly missed.

I have worked along side Michael and Karina for many years now, at Avondale P.S.  Karina was also my son's grade one teacher. The kindness that both Michael and Karina showed my son, and myself, over the years was touching. Karina even personally took care of my son when he was sick on an overnight trip. I will never forget that. I also remember when Karina met Michael for the first time. I remember her telling me about the amazing new man she had met, as his eldest son at the time was attending Avondale. I watched Karina and Michael's relationship blossom over the years, and they produced an amazing son and had a wonderful blended family. My heart goes out to the whole family. Michael was a great teacher and father. My deepest condolences.

I was one of Mr. Gill’s students at Claude Watson. He was hands down one of my favourite teachers I’ve ever had. I remember he created Gill Bills, a currency to encourage classroom participation. He brought a lot of joy and encouragement to the classroom. I’m 31 now and I’ll always remember my 5th grade teacher. Very grateful that I was in Mr. Gill’s class, he made school a better place. Praying for the Gill family during this difficult time.

Our prayers are with you as you navigate this time Karina (Maya, Ryan and Aidan), and Uncle Gill, Rita and Julie.  with love
Mary-Catherine and Stuart  (Calgary, Alberta)

Mr. Gill was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had in my life. He was one of the only teachers who truly made me feel like I had purpose and value growing up, and that stuck with me ever since.  I’m 26 years old now and can confidently say he made a life changing impact on me. I will never forget the laughs and memories I was able to share with him during class and in the halls. I will never forget the memories I was able to share with him at every track meet, soccer game and basketball game. And I will never forget the continuous support he shared even long after I graduated from Claude Watson.  

Thank you Mr. Gill. 

My sincere condolences to Mr. Gill’s family. He would always share his love for each one of you all the time in class. Even tho I don’t know you personally, I am thinking about you during this time and sending all my love.

Karina, I realize you do not know me.   But I have over the last year talked occasionally with Michael.   I connected with him on the ALS FB page.   I followed him and your family and enjoyed the post.   I have ALS (March 2022).   I live in Indiana US.   
I am so very sorry for your loss.   This hits me hard.   The first ALS “friend” I’ve lost to this awful disease, since my diagnosis.    Thinking of you and the kids during this difficult time.   ❤️Anje Anglin

My deepest condolences to Mr. Gill's family and loved ones. I was his student at CWSA many years ago and am very saddened to hear this news. Mr. Gill always pushed me to go out of my comfort zone and be the best version of myself. I am so grateful he encouraged me to do the 4 x 400 relay race and participate in track, something I never imagined I would do, and I am lucky to have been taught and coached by him.

Michael was loved, respected and deeply appreciated as a person, father and teacher. He will be missed

OBITUARY

Michael Stephen Gill

April 7, 1970 – February 12, 2024

Kane-Jerrett Funeral Homes

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