May 21, 1940 to October 8, 2022
Brian died peacefully early in the morning of Saturday October 8th at the Lapointe-Fisher Retirement Home in Guelph after a steep health decline following a dementia diagnosis.
He was born in Winnipeg and spent his formative years in Terrace Bay on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Brian’s early life was shaped mostly by hockey and the rhythms of life in a small mill town. He studied at University of Manitoba where he played varsity hockey, developed lifelong friendships, and met his first wife, Kathy. Upon graduation he was offered a job in sales at a steel company, Atlas Alloys, an industry to which he would devote his 38-year career.
Brian was known for his charm, quick wit, and never shying away from a politically charged conversation. He was a voracious reader and a curious learner. He grew as a person from people around him – having taken important life lessons from his first wife, Kathy, who adapted and thrived despite the challenges of being quadriplegic, and his second wife, Susan who was an educator and actively involved in the fight for women’s and children’s rights in Canada and around the world. Both predecease him.
Brian’s life was marked by many highs - working and living in Chile, walking the Camino, family summer vacations in Bayfield, and many unforgettable travel experiences with his second wife Susan and friends. It also had lows - his Dad’s illness from an industrial accident, his first wife Kathy’s MS, and cancer that took his second wife Susan in 2021. While chronic illness in those he loved seemed to be ever-present for much of his life, Brian nevertheless had a rich life and a successful business career due in large part to his strong work ethic, determined nature, and truly remarkable friends, neighbours, extended family, and co-workers who loved and supported him. These incredible people allowed Brian to make the most of the opportunities and experiences that came his way.
Brian leaves his two kids, Cam and his wife Jodi, Erin and her husband Rob, and his three beautiful grandchildren, Ben, Jacob, and Molly.
He grew to appreciate that he was a very lucky man. There was nothing he loved more than a family dinner debating social issues where everyone had an opinion and expressed it freely. He was overflowing with pride and love for his kids and grandkids and they knew it.
He will be deeply missed.
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at LaPointe-Fisher for providing such exceptional warmth, care, and comfort in the last year of his life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your local chapter of the MS Society, Cancer Society, or Alzheimer’s Society.
There will be a gathering to celebrate his life on Nov 25, 1pm, at St. Stephen’s-on-the-Hill United Church, 998 Indian Rd., Mississauga.
Messages and condolences may be left for the family at www.tricitycremations.com or 519.772.1237. Please visit Brian's obituary notice on Facebook.
Brian died peacefully early in the morning of Saturday October 8th at the Lapointe-Fisher Retirement Home in Guelph after a steep health decline following a dementia diagnosis.
He was born in Winnipeg and spent his formative years in Terrace Bay on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Brian’s early life was shaped mostly by hockey and the rhythms of life in a small mill town. He studied at University of Manitoba where he played varsity hockey, developed lifelong friendships, and met his first wife, Kathy. Upon graduation he was offered a job in sales at a steel company, Atlas Alloys, an industry to which he would devote his 38-year career.
Brian was known for his charm, quick wit, and never shying away from a politically charged conversation. He was a voracious reader and a curious learner. He grew as a person from people around him – having taken important life lessons from his first wife, Kathy, who adapted and thrived despite the challenges of being quadriplegic, and his second wife, Susan who was an educator and actively involved in the fight for women’s and children’s rights in Canada and around the world. Both predecease him.
Brian’s life was marked by many highs - working and living in Chile, walking the Camino, family summer vacations in Bayfield, and many unforgettable travel experiences with his second wife Susan and friends. It also had lows - his Dad’s illness from an industrial accident, his first wife Kathy’s MS, and cancer that took his second wife Susan in 2021. While chronic illness in those he loved seemed to be ever-present for much of his life, Brian nevertheless had a rich life and a successful business career due in large part to his strong work ethic, determined nature, and truly remarkable friends, neighbours, extended family, and co-workers who loved and supported him. These incredible people allowed Brian to make the most of the opportunities and experiences that came his way.
Brian leaves his two kids, Cam and his wife Jodi, Erin and her husband Rob, and his three beautiful grandchildren, Ben, Jacob, and Molly.
He grew to appreciate that he was a very lucky man. There was nothing he loved more than a family dinner debating social issues where everyone had an opinion and expressed it freely. He was overflowing with pride and love for his kids and grandkids and they knew it.
He will be deeply missed.
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at LaPointe-Fisher for providing such exceptional warmth, care, and comfort in the last year of his life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your local chapter of the MS Society, Cancer Society, or Alzheimer’s Society.
There will be a gathering to celebrate his life on Nov 25, 1pm, at St. Stephen’s-on-the-Hill United Church, 998 Indian Rd., Mississauga.
Messages and condolences may be left for the family at www.tricitycremations.com or 519.772.1237. Please visit Brian's obituary notice on Facebook.
