Geoffery Harold Jell

WW II VETERAN, (MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ROYAL ENGINEERS) , GEOFFREY HAROLD JELL, OF LONDON, ONT., PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON MAY 21,2023 AT THE AGE OF 100 YEARS.

IT IS WITH DEEP SORROW AND MUCH LOVE THAT WE MOURN THE PASSING OF OUR DAD. He is survived by his 4 children, Rita, Jennifer, Michael (Diane), Gillian (Tony), 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren as well as his sisters Mary and Valerie and his brother Ralph along with extended family too many to name. Geoffrey is predeceased by his loving wife Pauline, his parents Dorothy and James Jell, his sisters Pat, Anne and Frieda and his brothers John and Fred.

Geoffrey was born at Rose Cottage in the tiny hamlet of Brewood Cannock, Staffordshire, UK  to Dorothy and James Arthur Jell on MAY 27, 1922. It was at a dance in Newark that he met the love of his life Pauline Elizabeth Huffadine whom he married in 1942. They were married for 80 incredible years, after which Pauline passed away just recently on Dec. 22, 2022.

At the start of the war in 1939, Geoff enlisted as a Royal Engineer. He was an engineer in Montgomery’s 8th Army where he spent just over 7 years in the deserts of North Africa and Italy. He fought in Tobruk, Tripoli and Alexandria and was very proud to be of service to his country!  In fact, he was one of the last of his generation to serve in the famous Desert Rats 7th Armoured Division. He wore the Desert Rats’ famous insignia of the Jerboa, the long-tailed rodent, with tremendous pride. He was a highly decorated Veteran who earned the North African Star & Italian Star 1939-45. Desert Rats was known as Winston Churchill’s favourite division and was widely recognized as being among the most powerful in Europe during the second world war. Geoff was often heard quoting Winston Churchill when he said “It is not without emotion that I can express to you what I feel about the Desert Rats. Dear Desert Rats! May your glory ever shine! May your laurels never fade!”.

As a proud veteran, Geoff orchestrated and spoke at many Remembrance Day presentations in schools all over London, ON until the age of 98 years.  He was an active member of the Legion, local London branch where he and Pauline enjoyed dancing on Saturday nights well into their nineties. In civilian life, Geoff and Pauline travelled the world where Geoff was the Vice President of Construction for a glass plant manufacturing company. During the 10 years Geoff and Pauline lived in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe),  Geoff was in charge of building and overseeing the construction of water reservoirs for African villages.  He was a man of many talents and ambitions, achieving his Pilot's license at the age of 65 years and writing a 320 page autobiography at the age of 90, to name a few. A founding member of the Conservative Reform Party, Geoff’s strong political views were known to all who knew him.  Notably, one of his highlights was attending the question period at Queens Park where he received a standing ovation in celebration of his 90th birthday, and a 2nd standing ovation at the House of Commons for his 100th birthday and 80th wedding anniversary courtesy of his local MP.

As Geoffrey would appreciate nothing more than the last word, it is most appropriate  to conclude with the last paragraph found in his autobiography: “In my wildest dreams, never would we have thought such a long life full of adventure and surprise. We have so much to be thankful for and humbly to praise the good Lord for allowing Pauline and yours truly to live such an eclectic and full life, and best of all, in fairly good health along this very convolutional road”.

Many thanks to Dr. Kim, Carrie Lelapi and Tru Nursing Solutions for your tremendous palliative care.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica, 196 Dufferin Ave, London, on Friday, June 23rd  at 10 a.m. followed by interment  in Peter’s Cemetery, London.

Online condolences & Guest Book at www.oneilfuneralhome.ca