Obituary for Fred Sherratt
SHERRATT, Fred -
(March 12, 1930 – April 22, 2023)
Fred passed away in Belleville Ontario, surrounded by the love of his family, after a brief battle with cancer.
Fred leaves his partner Mali Hayter, his son John (Martha), his daughter Jennifer (Jim Creelman) and his grandchildren Cam Sherratt (Jill Squires), Katie Sherratt (Jeanette Heffernan), Dylan Creelman (Rebeccah Phillips), Meghan Creelman and Freddie Creelman.
Fred was born in Toronto on March 12, 1930, but spent many of his early years in Truro, Nova Scotia. Fred got his start in radio in 1948 as an announcer at a station in Truro. In 1949, he moved to Northern Ontario where he was a salesman and announcer with Roy Thomson’s stations.
In 1956, Fred co-founded CFRS in Simcoe, Ontario and was general manager of the station until 1960. It was then that he joined the CHUM organization and was named General Manager of CKPT in Peterborough. Five years later, he went back to Nova Scotia to take over the helm of CJCH Radio in Halifax as Vice-President and General Manager.
In 1969, Fred was named Vice-President of CHUM Limited and in 1971 he joined with CHUM and other investors to buy CJCH-TV, of which he was named President. Soon after, CHUM Limited acquired CKCW-TV and CJCB-TV which all came under the umbrella of the Atlantic Television System which founded the Atlantic Satellite Network.
At CHUM’s headquarters in Toronto, Fred, as President of ATV and Executive Vice-President and COO of CHUM Limited, became the overseer of CHUM’s many broadcasting operations across the country.
In December 2002, Fred, who had previously retired as Chief Operating Officer of CHUM Limited, stepped down as Vice-Chairman, but continued as a director and consultant.
Fred served on many boards and committees including as Chairman of the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement (BBM), a Director of the CTV Television Network, and membership on the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Board and its Executive Committee.
Fred’s many awards include the 1984 CAB Distinguished Service Gold Ribbon, and the 1993 Ted Rogers Sr./Velma Rogers Award for Pioneering spirit and contribution to broadcasting. In 1995, Fred was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame. In 2008 he received the first ever Ontario Association of Broadcasters’ Lifetime Achievement Award and at the 2009 Juno awards, he received the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for an individual who has contributed to the growth and advancement of the Canadian music industry.
Fred was an avid sailor and put together a team to defend the Canada Cup against the U.S. in 1988. Some of his happiest times were spent travelling with the team he put together to race around North America on his MUMM 30.
When Fred worked in Peterborough, he built a cottage on Clear Lake. Many years later, he purchased and rebuilt a cottage on Stoney Lake where he made lifelong friends and made many happy memories.
Fred has spent many happy years travelling back and forth to France to be with his partner, Mali Hayter. They travelled through France and enjoyed quiet times together in Paris, Crisse and St. Malo.
More recently, Fred purchased a condo in Belleville where he could spend more time closer to John and Jennifer and their families. It became a second home to him, and he enjoyed meeting new people who were, not surprisingly, charmed by him.
Fred enjoyed a good bottle of wine (or two) and for years, was a member of the International Wine and Food Society. He made new discoveries near his new home in Prince Edward County where he purchased too many new wines to fit in that already full cellar. Always think of Fred when you have a good glass of wine!
We would like to thank all of Fred’s Toronto doctors for their care through the years, especially those at the Odette Cancer Centre. We are also thankful for all the medical and palliative support we received in Belleville. The ladies who helped him in his final days were angels and he saved all his energy so he could give them the “Old Fred Charm”.
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, May 5, 2023 from 1-3 p.m., at the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club,141 Wilson Avenue, Toronto.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Odette Cancer Centre in Fred’s memory. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Newediuk Funeral Home, Kipling Chapel.
Online condolences at newediukfuneralhome.com
(March 12, 1930 – April 22, 2023)
Fred passed away in Belleville Ontario, surrounded by the love of his family, after a brief battle with cancer.
Fred leaves his partner Mali Hayter, his son John (Martha), his daughter Jennifer (Jim Creelman) and his grandchildren Cam Sherratt (Jill Squires), Katie Sherratt (Jeanette Heffernan), Dylan Creelman (Rebeccah Phillips), Meghan Creelman and Freddie Creelman.
Fred was born in Toronto on March 12, 1930, but spent many of his early years in Truro, Nova Scotia. Fred got his start in radio in 1948 as an announcer at a station in Truro. In 1949, he moved to Northern Ontario where he was a salesman and announcer with Roy Thomson’s stations.
In 1956, Fred co-founded CFRS in Simcoe, Ontario and was general manager of the station until 1960. It was then that he joined the CHUM organization and was named General Manager of CKPT in Peterborough. Five years later, he went back to Nova Scotia to take over the helm of CJCH Radio in Halifax as Vice-President and General Manager.
In 1969, Fred was named Vice-President of CHUM Limited and in 1971 he joined with CHUM and other investors to buy CJCH-TV, of which he was named President. Soon after, CHUM Limited acquired CKCW-TV and CJCB-TV which all came under the umbrella of the Atlantic Television System which founded the Atlantic Satellite Network.
At CHUM’s headquarters in Toronto, Fred, as President of ATV and Executive Vice-President and COO of CHUM Limited, became the overseer of CHUM’s many broadcasting operations across the country.
In December 2002, Fred, who had previously retired as Chief Operating Officer of CHUM Limited, stepped down as Vice-Chairman, but continued as a director and consultant.
Fred served on many boards and committees including as Chairman of the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement (BBM), a Director of the CTV Television Network, and membership on the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Board and its Executive Committee.
Fred’s many awards include the 1984 CAB Distinguished Service Gold Ribbon, and the 1993 Ted Rogers Sr./Velma Rogers Award for Pioneering spirit and contribution to broadcasting. In 1995, Fred was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame. In 2008 he received the first ever Ontario Association of Broadcasters’ Lifetime Achievement Award and at the 2009 Juno awards, he received the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for an individual who has contributed to the growth and advancement of the Canadian music industry.
Fred was an avid sailor and put together a team to defend the Canada Cup against the U.S. in 1988. Some of his happiest times were spent travelling with the team he put together to race around North America on his MUMM 30.
When Fred worked in Peterborough, he built a cottage on Clear Lake. Many years later, he purchased and rebuilt a cottage on Stoney Lake where he made lifelong friends and made many happy memories.
Fred has spent many happy years travelling back and forth to France to be with his partner, Mali Hayter. They travelled through France and enjoyed quiet times together in Paris, Crisse and St. Malo.
More recently, Fred purchased a condo in Belleville where he could spend more time closer to John and Jennifer and their families. It became a second home to him, and he enjoyed meeting new people who were, not surprisingly, charmed by him.
Fred enjoyed a good bottle of wine (or two) and for years, was a member of the International Wine and Food Society. He made new discoveries near his new home in Prince Edward County where he purchased too many new wines to fit in that already full cellar. Always think of Fred when you have a good glass of wine!
We would like to thank all of Fred’s Toronto doctors for their care through the years, especially those at the Odette Cancer Centre. We are also thankful for all the medical and palliative support we received in Belleville. The ladies who helped him in his final days were angels and he saved all his energy so he could give them the “Old Fred Charm”.
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, May 5, 2023 from 1-3 p.m., at the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club,141 Wilson Avenue, Toronto.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Odette Cancer Centre in Fred’s memory. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Newediuk Funeral Home, Kipling Chapel.
Online condolences at newediukfuneralhome.com