John Frederick DEVERELL Obituary
DEVERELL, John Frederick John Frederick Deverell (Oct. 7, 1944 - Feb. 9, 2026), passed away unexpectedly, while enjoying a family vacation in Mexico.
John will be lovingly remembered by longtime partner, Barb Williams; siblings, Frances (Ron) and Peter; children, Murray (Maggie), Rowen and Vanessa (Eli); grandchildren, Charlotte and Leona. Raised in Saskatchewan by parents, Katherine Jean (née McPherson) and Alfred Frederick Deverell, John studied economics at the University of Saskatchewan (BA) and University of Toronto (MA).
A journalist and author, John worked for the CBC, The Globe and Mail, and for 25 years at The Toronto Star. There, his reporting exposed industry and government cover-ups of workers' exposures to unsafe chemicals in the mining and paint-manufacturing industries, and the 1979 refusal of New Brunswick dock workers to ship nuclear materials to the then-military dictatorship in Argentina, among other stories in the labour, business, and political sectors.
John later served as president of the Southern Ontario Newspaper Guild (CEP 87M). An advocate for political change, John was a board member and founding treasurer of Fair Vote Canada, and the 2013 Toronto Centre Green Party federal candidate, running on a platform of environmental reform, equal votes and proportional representation. John also wrote several books, including; Falconbridge, Portrait of a Canadian Mining Multinational (1975); Joe Davidson, the Story of Canada's Most Notorious Union Leader (1978); and Democracy, Eh? (1993).
John eventually took a step back from the political sphere, refocusing on his partnership and adventures with Barb and his family, and splitting time between his rural retreat at Eels Creek and the "Grumpa suite" in Ottawa. Wherever he was, he always had his dogs, Jack, Gus and Porkchop by his side.
The family invites everyone who knew and loved John to his memorial Saturday, April 18th.
Location: Arts & Letters Club, 14 Elm St., Toronto.
Time: 2pm to 5pm In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fair Vote Canada.