Cardwell, John

CARDWELL, John

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of John Cardwell, age 74, on Oct. 23.

A native of Midland, Ontario who lived in Hamilton for the past 45 years, John was the beloved husband of the late Joni Eberle. 

He was predeceased by his parents, Dr. Bob and Nancy Cardwell (nee Thompson), and brothers Steve and Julian.  He is survived by brothers Stuart (Nanci) and Mark (Nicole Marcotte) and many loving nephews and nieces.

John lived an active, fun-filled life that revolved around business, politics and family.

Born and raised in Midland, the oldest of five boys, John was the quintessential big brother, always looking out for and interested in the welfare and ongoings of his younger siblings.  He also adored and worshipped his father, who he often accompanied on fishing and hunting trips and on house calls, coroner inquests and rounds at St. Andrew’s Hospital in those more carefree days of the 1950s and 60s.

When his family moved from downtown Midland to a new farm in Tay Township in 1967, John became both the point man and foreman of his father’s many ambitious farming and property development projects. 

After dropping out of business school at the University of Western Ontario, John travelled to Europe, Africa and across North America before returning to Midland to open the first in a long list of small and medium-sized businesses that he owned and operated during his life in Midland and across Ontario.

A serial entrepreneur and graduate of the School of Hard Knocks, John moved to Hamilton in the early 1980s and founded Canadian Fuel Savers.  Headquartered in an office building next to the now-demolished Paddy Green’s Tavern on King St. in Westdale, CFS was a successful home insulation company that was the official contractor for Union Gas clients across southwestern Ontario, from Oakville to Windsor.

It was in Hamilton that John also met the love of his life, Joni.  The two were a high-powered couple that loved to laugh and entertain at their historic home in Stoney Creek. 

They later founded and operated several manufacturing and retail businesses that made and/or sold everything from kitchen counters, cabinets and pool furniture to fireplaces and barbecues.

Together with fellow Midlander and entrepreneur Mark Hamelin Jr., John was also involved in several pioneering business ventures.  Among them was a data collection service for large utility providers using novel hand-held technology, and the opening of one of the first brew-your-own beer outlets in Hamilton and Ontario.  

In the late 1990s John and Joni moved to St. John, NB and built a multi-million-dollar sugar importing and refining plant.  Unable to break into Canada’s national sugar market, which is dominated by giants Redpath and Lantic, John was forced to close the ill-fated business after just a few years.

Back home in Hamilton, John and Joni bought an old brick home on a double lot on Hamilton Mountain where they kept busy the last 20-plus years with their shared love for gardening, cooking, small home improvement projects and dogs. 

When Joni fell ill a decade ago, John became her primary caregiver, a round-the-clock role he played until her passing.

Though John soldiered on and kept up with his usual activities – like futures trading in gold and other worldly commodities – he never recovered his usual lust for life.