In the moments before his death earlier this week, Mike Jobb was doing something he loved, something he’d been doing for about 30 years – creating opportunities for outdoor, winter fun in his neighbourhood.
Jobb, who spearheaded the outdoor community rink at Dovercliffe Park since the mid-1990s, suffered a fatal heart attack and died Tuesday as he prepared to flood the ice near College Avenue, west of the Hanlon Expressway.
He was 64 years old.
“He was just a very, very happy, lovable man that enjoyed his golf in the summer and enjoyed his ice rink in the winter,” said Mike’s son, Devan. “He always had a smile on his face.
“I think the consensus is, if you knew Mike Jobb and you didn't like him, there was something wrong with you.”
A passerby from the community spotted Mike laying on the ice after his heart attack and performed CPR … to no avail, Devan said, noting paramedics were also unable to revive his father.
“I think it was 10 years ago this year he had a heart attack and I gave him 15 minutes of CPR. Then we were able to revive him,” he explained. “We got another 10 years out of him that we really shouldn't have. And he was able to meet all of his grandkids and have another 10 years of it.”
Mike leaves behind his wife of more than 40 years, Karen, as well as two children – son Devan and daughter Karlee – and grandchildren Madeline and Rory. He was pre-deceased by granddaughter Mackenzie.
Following a time as a real estate agent, Mike spent years working at Hammond Power Solutions, Devan explained, noting his father had been on long-term disability since having hip surgery a few years back.
Mike took over volunteer rink-making duties from another long-time neighbourhood volunteer about 30 years ago because he wanted to ensure his children and others had a place to play and practice their skills.
“I know the whole community, for years, has loved that place. Everybody really appreciated it – they had an extra place to go and do something outside in the winter,” Devan said. “A lot of the neighbours would come over and bring (Mike and his assistants) coffee and Bailey’s at night time just to keep them warm.
“He always prided himself on making the biggest and best rink he possibly could.”
During the warmer months, Mike’s pastime of choice was golf.
“He brought me out golfing when I was three,” Devan recalled. “We've got 10 holes-in-one combined … two of which we had on the same holes.”
In Devan’s eyes, Mike was more than his father.
“We were more like brothers than father and son,” he said. “We would go out and play pool in the winter and flood the rink together for years and golf together as much as we possibly could.
“I respected him as a father, obviously, but he was my best friend.”
