Obituary of Martin Fabi

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Martin Fabi

November 1, 1942 – January 5, 2023

Beloved husband of Katherine (Mergler) Fabi. Dear father of Randy Fabi and wife Krystyn, Greg Fabi and wife Leigh and Ryan Fabi. Loving grandfather of Chris, Marlowe, Marcus, Mitchell and Morgan. Loving brother of Katharina (Fabi) Graef and husband John. Also survived by several nieces and nephews. Predeceased by his mother Maria (Miess) Hesch, father Martin Fabi, step-father George Hesch, sisters Mary Cseff and husband John. Martin Fabi was born November 1, 1942 in Durrbach, Siebenbürgen, Transylvania, Romania. After his father was killed in World War II, the family fled to Austria in 1944. In 1953, Fabi and his family immigrated to Canada, where they settled in the town of Aylmer, Ontario. Martin attended East Elgin High School and excelled in football and basketball. He also played for the famed Tillsonburg Livingston’s Senior Men’s basketball team making the national championship game in the 1960-61 season. In 1962, when he was 19, he was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. He was traded that same year to the Saskatchewan Roughriders where he played out the remainder of his career, retiring after the 1965 season. He was a Tight End and Punter and still holds two CFL records for Most Punting Yards in a Game (814) and Most Punts in a game (18). After the CFL, he played semi-pro football for the London Lords of the Canadian ORFU for a few seasons. Also at this time, he decided to focus on a full-time business career with Livingston International, a warehousing company based in Tillsonburg, ON, after working part-time for them for several years during his CFL career. He held many positions with Livingston, rising the ranks to become President in 1981. In 1990, he became President and CEO of GN Johnston Equipment, a national material handling equipment dealer. In his time at Johnston, the company grew significantly, and he won many Dealer of Distinction awards. He retired in 2002 and bought a house in Guelph’s Village by the Arboretum community where he lived until his death earlier this month. Martin enjoyed his retirement years with his best friend, his wife of 60 years, Katherine, by travelling extensively, cruising, golfing, spending time with family and grandchildren, babysitting the family dogs, staying in touch with old friends and forging new relationships with their new friends in the Village.

Martin will be missed immensely.

Visitation will be at the  H. A. Kebbel Funeral Home, Aylmer on Monday 2-4 and 6-8 p.m where the funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 1:00 pm. Interment, Aylmer Cemetery. Donations to the Parkinson Foundation would be appreciated. Share memories or condolences at kebbelfuneralhome.com