It is with immense sorrow and disbelief, that we announce the unexpected passing of our Husband, Father and Grandfather John Andrew Dobransky.
John was born on March 6, 1961, in Fort Frances, Ontario, to William and Marlene (Taylor) Dobransky and passed away at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Thunder Bay, Ontario on January 3, 2025. At the age of five John moved to Toronto with his mother and older brother when his parents divorced and would spend the next ten years traveling back to the Rainy River District for summer holidays. His time would be split between his father’s home in International Falls, Minnesota, and his Gramma Taylor’s home in Fort Frances and cabin on Rainy Lake. At the age of fifteen John, having enough of city life, made the decision to return to live with his grandmother permanently. John enjoyed playing high school basketball as well as singing in rock bands with his high school friends. After graduation John worked at Jack’s Menswear for a short time before being hired on at the local Paper Mill, he found his niche in the Bleach Plant and worked there until its closing in 2012, he finished out the last two years in the Finishing Room and retired in 2014 when the Mill permanently closed.
John met his wife Teresa in 1979, at a Prism Concert at the Memorial Arena in Fort Frances and they were inseparable after that. They married on February 13, 1982, and were blessed with two beautiful children, Corey and Riley. John loved the lake life, having spent many summers with his Grandmother and his cousin Brent on Taylor Island and he longed to have his own piece of paradise on Rainy Lake. After years of searching and viewing properties they found their ‘money pit’ as Teresa would often refer to it and in 1994 they purchased a log home on Standingstone Point. John truly loved the cabin life and the peace he found there.
Corey and Riley’s after school activities kept John busy, he never missed a hockey tournament, cheered Corey on in Judo, and swimming and always made sure Riley had flowers waiting for her after her dance recitals, his children were his world and he supported everything they chose to do. We can’t talk about John without mentioning his love of music. John always loved to sing and he had an amazing voice. After the kids became more independent he decided he needed to learn to play the guitar, then it was only a matter of time before the band ‘Nightshift’ was born. Many friends rotated through the band and they had loads of fun singing and playing for the Relay for Life, Curl for Cancer, Despair Fishing Tournaments, and Legion, but the body got old and the equipment got heavy and it was time to take a break, he would still spend hours in his music room singing and playing.
John loved being a Dad but he excelled at being a Poppa, he loved his granddaughters and looked so forward to seeing them everyday.
John is survived by his wife Teresa; son Corey (Allison) their children, Hayden Ivy and Revy James; daughter Riley(Braeden) their child Sage Everleigh; brother Robert (Bridget) their daughter Heather (Jorma) their children Reef, Sailo, Marlena, Zofia, Tetyana, and Sixx; son Paul (Victoria) their children Jayden and Kyson; brother William (Maria) their children Holley and Kailey; brother Harold Danby; aunt Sharon (Joe) Debenedet; cousins Brent (Tracy), Barry and Sean and their children; brothers-in-law Carl Brandrick, Jess (Pam) Brandrick; sister-in-Law Anita (Richard) Thomas; and aunt-in-Law Jane Peterson.
John was predeceased by his father William Dobransky; mother Marlene Danby (Taylor); Grandparents Darold and Cora Taylor and Mike and Anna Dobranski; and in-laws Bonnie and Eric Brandrick.
Cremation has taken place and as per John’s request there will be no funeral, interment will be at a later date in the Burriss Cemetery, Brandrick family plot. A gathering of close family and friends will take place in the summer at John’s peaceful place on Standingstone Point, Rainy Lake.
John was the kindest man who thought of everyone but himself, we will forever be grateful for the time we had with him and will miss him every day.
Rest easy my love, until we meet again.
Arrangements entrusted to Northridge Funeral Home Ltd., Emo, Ontario.
