Photo: Ian McCallum
The former owner of Elgin Handles in St. Thomas and the son of Toronto Maple Leafs’ hockey legend Hap Day died earlier this month at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.
Kerry Day was 92.
He began his career at Elgin Handles under Hap’s leadership before assuming ownership and the role of president in the 1980s.
The factory closed early this century.
The site is now the home of Hope Crossing, formerly Project Tiny Hope.
Growing up in Toronto, Day was a stick boy for the Leafs and his name was etched on the Stanley Cup in 1945.
He was an active member of Knox Presbyterian Church, the St. Thomas Golf & Country Club, the St. Thomas Curling Club, and Kiwanis Club.
After retiring from Elgin Handles, he devoted his time to actively fundraising for the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation.
In March of 2017, Kerry and his wife Anne attended a ceremony near the Jumbo monument as the commemorative Hap Day banner was welcomed to its new permanent home in St. Thomas.
The lighthearted ceremony was hosted by the voice of the Maple Leafs, Joe Bowen.
At the commemorative event, then mayor Heather Jackson observed, “We’re here to celebrate Hap Day, his career with the Maple Leafs, but also what he gave back to our community here in the City of St. Thomas. We are very proud he chose to live in St. Thomas, chose to run a business here (Elgin Handles) and that his family still lives in the community and proud to be part of St. Thomas as well.”
Kerry said it was “very emotional” for him, the second time he has been at such a ceremony. The first was in 2006 when the same banner was hung inside the Air Canada Centre.
Kerry, with his wife Anne, are pictured below in 2017 with a replica of the Stanley Cup presented to Day by the Leafs’ organization.
Written by Ian McCallum
Photo: Ian McCallum
