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George McGivern.

Father. Policeman. Naturalist. Practical joker. Born March 11, 1930, in Newtownards, Northern Ireland; died Feb. 10, 2017, in Scarborough, Ont., of a stroke; aged 86.

A full snow moon, a lunar eclipse and a meteor event occurred Feb. 10, 2017. It was a fitting day for our dad, who admired so keenly the beauty of the natural world, to leave the Earth.

George was the son of a blacksmith, who died when George was just six years old. Despite the hardship and adversity his family faced, the fortitude of his mother and the kindness of his uncles helped George grow into a strong and a good man.

George was a quick study at school but declined a university education in order to help support his mother. After training as a steam fitter, he would come home each week and hand his pay packet to his mom.

At the age of 18, he saw the woman of his dreams pass by on her way to work and set out to make her his wife. Without a clue who she was, he planted himself at local dances hoping to attract her attention. When Maura, a dark-haired, blue-eyed beauty, finally fell for George's charms, the two of them looked like movie stars strolling down the street. Arms linked, fashionably attired and with eyes only for each other, they would continue this tradition no matter where they were for the next 68 years.

With a young son and few prospects in Ireland, George and his family began a new life in Canada. Within six weeks of arriving, he was hired by the Toronto Police Service. For the next 25 years, George would work his way through almost every unit in the force, including the motorcycle squad, the mounted unit and the homicide squad before finishing his career as drug co-ordinator.

Over the years, George and Maura's family grew to four sons and two daughters. Throughout our neighbourhood, Dad was seen as a man who was trusted. As children, we became accustomed to answering our door and finding strangers looking for him, from fierce-looking undercover cops to immigrants offering gratitude for some unseen act of kindness.

George was an avid reader, tearing through science, history, biography and crime stories at an awe-inspiring rate. Realizing the sacrifice of forgoing an education for himself, he insisted that his children attend university. With his children busy with school, he volunteered with the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, eventually leading the charity in Toronto.

George was known as a great practical joker, full of fun and a master of the element of surprise – surprises involving anything from a starter pistol to a roasted pig's head.

What we learned from our dad, we learned through observation: his love of nature on hikes in the Rouge River valley; his thoughtful analysis of life's complexities, duly noting both sides to every argument; his just disposition, seeing through the disingenuous with barely a glance; and his devotion to our beautiful mother, for whom he demanded the utmost respect.

When at times we complained of the vagaries and trials of our own lives, he would say, "You just have to pick yourself up and keep going."

We have no choice now but to follow his example.

Boni Thompson is George's daughter.

To submit a Lives Lived: lives@globeandmail.com

Lives Lived celebrates the everyday, extraordinary, unheralded lives of Canadians who have recently passed. To learn how to share the story of a family member or friend, visit tgam.ca/livesguide.

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