Gerry Maunu

Gerry Maunu
Gary Mauno; Garry Mauno
Born	1957-04-07 Port Arthur, Ontario
Died	2023-09-01 St. Joseph's Care Group, Thunder Bay
Years in Thunder Bay	born in Port Arthur 1957; by about 1988–2023
Occupation	School custodian
Employer	Lakehead Public School Board
Father	Unto Maunu
Mother	Aivi Maunu
Partner	Victoria Maunu
Children	Bettina Maunu

Gerry Maunu (7 April 1957 – (2023-09-01)1 September 2023), remembered by pupils as Gary or Garry Mauno, was a custodian with the Lakehead Public School Board in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and the janitor at Pine Street School around 1990.

Life

Maunu was born on 7 April 1957 in Port Arthur, now part of Thunder Bay. He worked for the Lakehead Public School Board as a custodian, staying with the board until he retired. In about 1990 he was the janitor at Pine Street School in Port Arthur. The school's staff list names him as its custodian from at least about 1988 until it closed in 1994. Away from work he spent much of his free time outdoors, fishing and trapping.

He died on 1 September 2023, aged 66, at St. Joseph's Care Group in Thunder Bay, having also been cared for at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. He was cremated, a private celebration of life for close family was planned for a later date, and the family asked for donations to the Canadian Cancer Society. A death notice also appeared in The Chronicle-Journal on 9 September 2023.

"Telephone please"

Michael B. Currie recalls that in the early 1990s Maunu was often called to the telephone at Pine Street School, by calls people there took to be from his wife. The announcements over the public-address system, "Garry Mauno, telephone please…", became a catchphrase at the school. A former pupil, Derek, wrote in a July 2019 comment that he was "a hero" and the "best janitor ever", a kind and well-liked man; the comment is quoted in the Quotes section of the Pine Street School page, where Derek spells his name "Gary mauno".

Family

Maunu's parents were Unto Maunu and Ivy (Aivi) Maunu, both of whom died before him. His grandparents were August Janhonen and Alma Janhonen, and Fred Maunu and Aini Maunu. An uncle, Leo Maunu (whose wife was Judy), also died before him.

He was married for 32 years to Victoria Maunu, and they had a daughter, Bettina Maunu, who was at the centre of his life. His parents-in-law, Carmine and Antonetta Degrazia, died before him.

At his death he was survived by his brothers Leonard Lehto (wife Joan), Richard Maunu (wife Linda), Larry Maunu, Roy Maunu (wife Wanda) and Tyrone Maunu, and by his sister Eleanor Maunula (husband Daniel). His brothers Allan Maunu (wife Raili) and Archie, and his sister Linda Barrette (husband John), had died before him.