Greater Napanee lost another connection to its Gibbard’s past last week with the passing of Bruce McPherson Jr.
For a certain generation, McPherson Jr. was one of the faces Gibbard’s Furniture during a time when the factory was a major driving force in the community.
Admittedly this reporter didn’t know him too well. Having arrived in town in 2008, the factory next door to the Beaver building was well on its way to shutting down. Any interaction with McPherson Jr. from that point forward was either talking about the history of the factory or, more recently, its transition to the Gibbard District. From those brief encounters however it’s not surprising seeing the outpouring of comments following his passing are all very similar. His kindness, generosity and his authenticity are all traits that come to mind. His ability to make a complete stranger feel like an old friend was a unique trait and certainly a memorable one.
As an outsider to the community, it didn’t take long for this writer to learn just how intertwined Gibbard’s is to the fabric of the town. Walking to work each morning the bright red brick building at the curve of Dundas Street commands a presence over the downtown, proudly proclaiming to be Canada’s oldest furniture manufacture. Indeed having been established in 1835, the company pre-dates confederation. A perfect example of generational gaps could be found in telling someone about plans to move to Napanee. To some it was the home of a certain pop star named Avril; to others it was the site of Gibbard’s.
Just as well known as Gibbard’s reputation of quality was its penchant for making its employees feel like family. In a sense one begets the other-happy employees make for productive employees. The McPherson family seemed to follow that philosophy, and it showed. In the days following his passing, social media has been flooded with stories of how McPherson Jr. made his employees feel like family. Even those who didn’t work with him have been sharing sentiments of how much he meant to the town and the positive impact he had. In a time when there’s plenty of division seen on social media, it’s been refreshing to see so much positivity. It’s a shame it often takes a tragic loss to bring about such positivity.
Also tragic is the fact McPherson Jr. won’t be around to see the completion of the Gibbard District. Any time he spoke to the Beaver about the project his pride in the fact the condominium and plaza would contain nods to Gibbard’s history always shone through. Preserving relics from the factory was a nice touch by Doornekamp Construction and will help ensure McPherson Jr’s legacy lives on.
Another way to keep his memory alive is to follow the advice of his daughter Katie, who recommended we all do one kind act in memory of her father.
That sounds like the perfect way to remember a man who did so much for our community.
-Adam Prudhomme