Paul Harris Love was born to parents Lambert and Alice Love in Toronto Ontario on March 4, 1929. Paul had one older brother, John Issac Love and one older half brother, Lambert (Bert) Love.
The Love family originally emigrated from Northern Ireland in 1774 and settled in Pennsylvania. In 1801 they made their way to Canada arriving in York Country, Ontario. The area the Loves settled in for 70 years became known as ‘Loves Corners’, which is now a suburb in Toronto known as Oak Ridges.
The Loves were industrious, God-fearing people who worked hard as homesteaders, blacksmiths, farriers, carriage, sleigh and wagon builders, and owners of numerous businesses including shingle mills and sawmills.
Sunday was always a full day of rest when the entire family would navigate across Lake Joseph in a rowboat to attend the Sunday service. Lambert, Pauls father, was an elder in the church and was instrumental in building the church with lumber from his sawmill.
In 1855 Lambert purchased a farm on Lake Joseph and began farming while also starting a sawmill business on the property. He called it ‘farming among rocks’. The decision was made to build what started as a boarding house; eventually evolving into a luxury hotel on the shores of Lake Joseph known by all as Elgin House.
Later on down the line, after Lambert’s first wife passed away, he remarried Alice Cecilia Young, Paul and brother John’s mother, in December 1925. Lambert made a bold decision to purchase more property across Lake Joseph, and in 1937 the foundation for Glen Home was laid. It was the first steel-framed horizontal-design building constructed in the Muskoka area. Glen Home opened in 1939; a second luxury hotel on beautiful Lake Joseph in the Love family name.
Following Lambert’s passing at the age of 92, Paul, his brother John and mother Alice ran Glen Home. Following John’s departure to pursue other interests in the Muskoka area, Paul and his mother ran the hotel until her death in 1973. Paul continued operating the hotel for a few more years prior to its sale in 1975.
Paul had an adventurous life; attending a one room schoolhouse in Muskoka; spending summers growing up on a lake resort; attending high school in Toronto and the church where he met Elizabeth Leone Fowler, to eventually taking over and running an exclusive luxury hotel as the proprietor, manager, chief chef (and bottle washer), lead handyman and jack-of-all-trades. Paul followed in his father’s footsteps as a God fearing man who lived with grace and resolve; giving of his time and means supporting missions and the church.
During winter months when the hotel was closed Paul and his wife Elizabeth/Lib travelled back to Alberta where her family was based and where Paul worked at a high school in Red Deer, Alberta as the head cook, planning and cooking for several hundred students each day.
Paul and Lib moved to Victoria in 1988. They owned 2 homes in the Oak Bay area, and enjoyed much of their time boating with family on the beautiful west coast of BC. Lib sadly passed away in 2003.
In 2009, Paul and Ruby Baker moved into the Rudyard Kipling on Beach Drive in Oak Bay and lived there for 17 years. Together, they moved into long term care in Victoria in November of 2025, where Ruby passed away peacefully on January 1, 2026. Paul passed away peacefully at the age of 97 on May 26, 2026.
Paul will be dearly missed by his family and friends. Folks at both his home in Oak Bay and at the long-term care home where he lived for a short time have commented on his ever positive outlook, calm, kind and caring presence, sense of humour and wonderful ability to engage in conversation with many interesting stories.
Paul always loved to sit in his living room and, as he called it, “watch the night come on over the ocean.”
A memorial service for Paul will be held at Eventide Funeral Home in Red Deer, Alberta on Friday, July 3rd at 1:00pm.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
This obituary is the property of the “Love” family and may not be reproduced, distributed, or altered in any way without prior written consent.
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Meridel Rawlings
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Rae & Wilma Runge Paul was a calm gentleman, who dealt with adversity with great thoughfulness and understanding. He was known for his great inventory of stories and poems that he would quote at the most appropriate times.
Spent many times with Paul and Lib in Victoria and on their boat, the Irish Mist, touring and exploring Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Paul was always up for an adventure.
A fine Christian man and one we will miss so very much.
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JON Clermont Uncle Paul will be greatly missed by all his Fowler relations. Paul was an old style Gentleman. There a few like him left in this new Era. My wife Fairilee would have been particularly saddened to here of Paul’s passing. She used to tell me many fond stories about her Uncle Paul.
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Darlene Fach A lovely written obituary. For sure Paul lived a diverse life. He and Ruby had many happy years in Victoria. It was always a pleasure to visit them or have them in our home.
It is difficult to see our loved ones slip away – one at a time.
My condolence to all the family.
By Meridel Fowler Rawlings.
My eldest brother Donovan and I first met Auntie Lib’s husband Paul when they spent Christmas 1950 with us at our home in Southern Ontario at the time. They came bearing magical gifts for all plus a crate of sweet oranges from Florida. Don and I were later invited to spend part of our Holiday with them in Toronto. It was all adventure… visiting Casa Loma and a live production of Peter Pan who flew over the auditorium on invisible wires.
As we matured we were invited to work in Muskoka’s gracious Glen Home hotel. Mrs Alice Love treated us like her own. Don was chefs helper to Uncle Paul.Mr Timothy David Eaton gave me a tip of $450. That was astounding in those days. Also that summer along with other young staff we attended special services at Keswick House. That was a moment of destiny. Jesus came to me and said that I would go to India. That is all history… both Lib and Paul played significant roles in the shaping of my life.
In 1980 my husband Jay and I led our first tour to China and our 3 sons David, Chris and Josh enjoyed busy days with their Great Aunt and Uncle in Muskoka.
Our trips to Jay’s home town, Victoria, were always highlighted by visits with Paul and family. In 2015 Jay produced and directed a film at Paul’s request which traced the meaningful life of his father Lambert Love. They were true pioneers.
Jay and I are now retired in Greece and over the years not only visited Paul; but called him about once a month. My last conversation with him was on May 22nd. In closing I said “Uncle Paul Jesus is right there with you!”
His response: “Thanks Meridel!”
We are happy that he is safely Home!❤️