Businessman, philanthropist.
Born on a farm in Quebec in 1878, one of 13 children, his father died at an early age. He moved to Montreal and found work at a paint company. He relocated to Winnipeg around 1900 to work at its local branch. After learning that the business was closing, he purchased it in 1908 and renamed it the Western Paint Company. He was its President at the time of his death.
On 3 September 1906, he married Mary Louise Comartin (1870-1965) at Winnipeg. They had a daughter, Marguerite Marie Guertin (1910-1996, wife of John Milloy Gordon). The family lived at 148 Yale Avenue, Winnipeg. In 1947, he was honoured by the Pope for his charitable work. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and St. Jean Baptiste Society.
He died at Los Angeles, California on 23 January 1953 and was buried in the St. Mary's Cemetery. In 2021, he received a posthumous Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Award.
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Western Paint Building (521 Hargrave Street, Winnipeg)
Marriage registration [Ernest Guertin, Mary Louise Comartin], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [Marguerite Marie Guertin, John Milloy Gordon], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Mass Friday for J. E. Guertin,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 January 1953, page 12.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 29 January 1953, page 38.
“Joseph E. Guertin funeral service held on Friday,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 January 1953, page 8.
“U to benefit under will of city man,” Winnipeg Free Press, 4 March 1953, page 3.
“Young man's faith builds a business,” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 April 1958, page 21.
Obituary [Louise Guertin], Winnipeg Tribune, 6 January 1965, page 61.
Obituary [Marguerite Marie Gordon], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 July 1996, page 39.
“A lick 'o' paint and a whole lot more,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 April 2022, page 4.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 11 January 2023
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