Mervyn Edward Souder

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-385050

Notes:

SOUDER, Mervyn Edward CIM

Mervyn Souder, "International Man of Shoes" and fitness devotee, born in Preston, Ontario, July 25, 1911 to Ephraim and Catherine Souder, died December 8, 2008, in the Fairview Mennonite Home Long Term Care Preston Wing, having lived a full 97 years. Leaving school at an early age, he started as a shipping assistant, with a predecessor to Savage Shoes Limited (Interco Canada), ultimately reaching Senior Vice President of Savage, long before his retirement in 1976. Widely known throughout the footwear manufacturing industry in North America and Europe, he was the only Canadian to chair the North American industry's Annual Management Conference and Trade Show. A motorcycle enthusiast, he owned dozens before volunteering for army service, in 1942. Serving in various Ontario depots, his peacetime love of all things mechanical was employed by the army as a RCEME vehicle mechanic. Merv was one of the first graduating CIM (Certified Industrial Manager) class and a past President of the founding Grand Valley Chapter of the Canadian Institute of Management. In retirement, he volunteered with Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO), completing more than 50 missions in footwear manufacturing, principally in Latin America and with Native Canadian groups. On one mission he lectured a two-week course in quality control at a technical college in Colombia, using no interpreter, having undertaken to learn to speak and write Spanish, only as his retirement neared. Merv was a charter member of the Probus Club of Cambridge (Canada No. 1), a Life Member of the Probus Club of Preston-Hespeler and a member and former elder of Central Presbyterian Church, Cambridge. Merv was predeceased by his sister, Irene and brother, Charles Robert. He is survived by the love of his life, wife Marjorie; son, Dennis (Deborah) and their daughters Sara and Molly; brothers and sisters-in-law, Wilfred, Jean and Gwen Orser, and Em Willett; nephews and nieces, Fred (Marla), Paul (Janine) and Janice Hacker, Beryl (Harvey) Schindel, Jonay Souder and Corey (Henry) Brunsveld, along with many great and great-great-nieces and nephews. The family expresses its sincere thanks to the caring staff of Fairview Mennonite Home, Cambridge. Private funeral arrangements have been completed. A celebration of Mervyn Souder's life will be held early in 2009 at Central Presbyterian Church, Cambridge. An announcement as to date and time, will appear in the Waterloo Region Record on January 30, 2009.

Unknown Paper

Mervyn — Marjorie Alma Orser. Marjorie was born 8 Jul 1925; died 3 Jan 2017, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Parklawn Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]