R.I.P. George Funnell Jr.
Montreal Expos fan George Funnell Jr. was an inspiration to many.
August 28, 2022
Huge Expos/Canadiens fan thrived in face of adversity
By Danny Gallagher
Canadian Baseball Network
If you think you have problems, think of what George Funnell Jr. had to endure all his life.
He was a fighter for eternity.
The huge fan of the Expos and Canadiens died at 10 p.m. Aug. 25 of bladder cancer at age 68 but he had been in a wheelchair all his life with cerebral palsy.
Funnell outlived his life expectancy by 48 years, inspiring people in the process. When he was younger, his family was advised he would probably not live past 20.
The day after he died, the town of Gananoque, Ont. said it would lower its flags to half-mast in his honour to show much townsfolk appreciated him.
Funnell didn't let his disability affect his life. Up until shortly before he died, he was still taking classes at Gananoque Secondary School where three generations of George's Angels would care for him, feed him food at lunch, sleep on his shoulders on field trips and help him whenever possible.
"It's incredibly hard to find the right words to explain George and what he meant to the community,'' the town said in a statement. "He was a member of the Lions Club for over 25 years and a fixture in the halls at GSS.
"It did not matter how long it had been since you saw him last, he always met you with that sly smile and quick wit, like no time had passed. There is hardly a person in the community that George didn't know.''
When Expo Hall of Famer Tim Raines was introduced to Funnell before an Expos' game in the early 1980s, he took the cap right off his head and put it on Funnell's head.
Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Raines, as well Warren Cromartie, Al Oliver and many other Expos took to Funnell and showed him how much they cared. Cromartie would give him bats and balls. A bat Dawson signed for Funnell is headed to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont.
When Funnell would appear at Canadiens' games at the Forum, Larry Robinson, Guy Lafleur and the rest of the players would make sure to go over to see him in the wheelchair section.
"I'm very blessed to know some Hall of Famers like Andre, Tim and Gary Carter but my hero is George, not the ballplayers,'' said New Brunswicker Russ Hansen, who knew Funnell when he lived in Gananoque. "He taught me how to be kind, caring and compassionate.
"I first met him 49 years ago when I moved from London to Gananoque,” Hansen said. “He was in my geography class. His bedroom was a shrine to the Expos and Canadiens. Andre was his favourite baseball player and Jean Beliveau and Guy Lafleur were his favourite hockey players.''
When Funnell was born, his unbiblical cord was pinched, cutting off oxygen to the brain. His mother Mollie, father George Sr. and his sister Julia took turns looking after him at the family home at on Wellington Street. After his parents died and when Julia was diagnosed with dementia and when COVID-19 came along, residents in Gananoque rallied to support him.
Funnell could understand what was going on and would react to questions or situations by attempting to scratch out gurgling sounds or send messages from a typewriter-like keyboard called a bliss board attached to his wheelchair.
He was smart enough that he regularly engaged classmates in sports bets and was nicknamed George The Bookie.
Within the last month, Funnell's health had diminished considerably but he made a point of telling his medical team at Kingston General Hospital he didn't want a tube in his mouth and he didn't want any cancer treatments to enhance his life.
One man deeply attached to Funnell was his close friend Murray Keyes. And there was his geography teacher of many years, Rick Fleming. He's giving the eulogy at Funnell's funeral Aug. 30 at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church.
Fleming, 78, was very emotional as he spoke about Funnell. He talked about the times he would put Funnell on a couch in the gym, rub his shoulders and exercise his body and try to make him feel better. One day, Fleming was in the midst of one of these exercise sessions when somebody nearby said, “Rick, what are you doing?'' He answered, "I'm pumping the p---- out of him.'' The gym erupted in laughter.
Fleming talked about the tricks Funnell would play on people. One time, he dressed up a mummy and placed it in his wheelchair, prompting somebody to say, “Who would do that to George?’’ And they’d find out Funnell did it.
"He was one of the greatest teachers in our school. As far as I'm concerned, he taught compassion, empathy, humility, kindness, oh my goodness, humour,'' Fleming said, his voice breaking, as he took a break from writing his eulogy. "I mean, his honesty. He was honest with everybody. He listened well, he communicated with his board. He had a brain. He knew statistics, he remembered players.
"He was a big Canadiens fan, unbelievable. Nobody was a bigger fan of the Canadiens. I was a Bruins' fan. One year, Wayne Gretzky was in Montreal with the Oilers. Garry Lariviere played for the Oilers. He was a student of mine. He would get us tickets. We’d get into the Forum early and everyone of those players (Oilers) came out and shook George’s hand.
“George had faith. Oh, he had faith. He was one of the strongest guys you ever met in your life. I’ll tell you why – he made a decision not to have the treatments and told them to take the tube out. He was strong. He had the strength. He had the dignity to die peacefully without that stuff.’’
Funnell's visitation will take place Aug. 29 from 6-9 at Tompkins Funeral Home in Gananoque followed by his funeral Aug. 30 at 11 a.m.
Farewell, George.