Guelph's Ginty Jocius was a Canadian agricultural communications pioneer, and much more. He passed away January 2, 2008. Here is his obituary:
GINTY JOCIUS
1946 – 2008
Gintarius (Ginty) Frank Jocius lost his two-year battle with brain cancer on January 2, 2008. Ginty passed away at home, surrounded by family and hospice care.
Born in post-war Germany on August 15, 1946 of Lithuanian parents who had fled their Baltic homeland in 1944, Ginty’s family immigrated to Canada in 1949, settling in Rodney, Ontario where they eventually started greenhouse and tobacco farming near the shores of Lake Erie. Ginty is predeceased by his father, Frank, and his brother, Ronald. He is survived by his mother, Martha (nee Povilaitis), and brother Peter and his family.
Ginty graduated from the Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, in 1970 and married Lorie Munce of Leamington, Ontario that same year. They have three children: Daiva Jocius of Calgary, Alberta; Gavin Jocius and wife Hannah of Durham, North Carolina; and Jordan Jocius and partner Julie Bruin of Guelph.
Ginty’s passion was always agriculture. He mentored under George Atkins at C.B.C. Radio Noon and then served as Executive Assistant for two Ontario Ministers of Agriculture and Food, the late William A. Stewart and the late William Newman. After leaving the Ministry in 1978, Ginty worked in the cattle industry, helping to launch the first-ever video auction, the Ontario Beef Exchange.
In 1982, he established his own marketing/communications firm, Ginty Jocius & associates, in Guelph, specializing in agricultural products and services across North America. Ginty was always looking for the “next big idea.” In addition to helping launch Strategic Research Associates (SRA) now headquartered in at the Research Park in Guelph, he helped initiate the internet company, Agribiz.net, which eventually morphed into Farms.com
In 1994, Ginty diversified further into event management by creating Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. Now in its 15th year and held annually in September at Canada’s Outdoor Park in Woodstock, Ontario, it is the largest outdoor agricultural tradeshow in Canada. In June of 2004, the Great Canadian Outdoor Expo was created in celebration of Ginty’s other passions – family and the great out-of-doors.
A self-proclaimed entrepreneur, Ginty was just as deeply committed to “service above self.” He was a member of the Guelph Rotary Club for almost 25 years, intimately involved in fundraising events such as “Gift of Wings” and Dream Home projects, and was recently recognized as an Honorary Paul Harris Fellow. In 1995, he was named Agri-Marketer of the Year by the Canadian Agri-Marketing Association (CAMA) and Alumnus of Honour by the University of Guelph in 1996.
Ginty was a tireless campaigner in the political arenas, at both the federal and local levels. He was past Chair of the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (A.R.I.O.) and the Ontario Agricultural College (O.A.C.) Alumni Foundation; a contributor to the formation of the Enroot Foundation established by the Ontario Institute of Agrologists; and a strong supporter of the arts in Guelph.
A memorial service celebrating Ginty’s life will be held at the River Run Centre at 35 Woolwich Street in Guelph on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 2:30pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations to be made to The Ginty Jocius Journey of Growth Fund at the Ontario Agricultural College/University of Guelph; the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada; or Hospice Wellington. Details are available at www.outdoorfarmshow.com
