If you asked John H. Daniels what he did for a living, he had a simple answer: “I pour concrete.”

It may be an understated description for one of Canada’s most prominent architects and developers, but his oldest son, David Daniels, said the statement captured his humility despite his great success, and the fact that he never tired of the thrill of watching his projects go up.

“His hobby was his work,” said David Daniels, who is 68.

“His hobby was, on the weekend, taking his kids or his grandkids in the car and driving around the city and looking at property that was being built or land. He was very driven and passionate about it.”

John Daniels died at age 96 on Oct. 22, at his home in Toronto.