On Thursday July 2, 2020 at Crofton Manor in Vancouver. Born in 1930, at home on West 36th Avenue in Kerrisdale, Vancouver to his Scottish immigrant parents, Joan Macaulay Mair (Lochmaddy, North Uist) and William H. Mair (Turriff, Aberdeenshire). Ian was the most loving and dedicated husband for over 63 years to Kathleen (Kay Sharp) and proud father of Ken (Sherrill), Heather (deceased 1963), Alix (Tom Scott), and Sheena Mair (Jeff Carter). He was the older brother of Edith Mair York and loving grandfather to Taylor (Bergen), Harrison and Christian Mair, and Gwen, Angus, Sam and Liam Scott. Ian will be fondly remembered by his sister in laws Elaine Henderson (late Dr. Cliff Henderson) and Marjorie Mitchell (late Dr. Reid Mitchell) and his nephews and nieces from the Henderson and Mitchell families.
A graduate of Magee High School in 1948, where he was a proud member of the B.C. High School Basketball Championship team the same year. He maintained a lively contact with his Magee friends his entire life. He graduated from The University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1954. While at UBC he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and the University Naval Training Division (U.N.T.D.). He was awarded the rank of Lieutenant Commander (Reserves). Ian had many lifelong and cherished friendships from these experiences.
He met his future wife, Kay, while at UBC. They married in 1957 in Vancouver. In the same year he obtained his Chartered Accountant designation from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia. Ian and Kay moved to Toronto in 1958 where Ian spent the next three years working for Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and Co. In 1961 they moved back to B.C. Ian had a long and distinguished career in Senior Executive roles working for Purves Ritchie Ltd, RivTow Straits and Cosulich Group Investments Inc.
Ian was a member of Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church, Naval Officers Association of B.C., The Arbutus Club and Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club. He was an original season’s ticket holder of the Vancouver Canucks and was awarded a plaque for his forty years of Vancouver Canucks support. Ian’s integrity and selfless support of others earned him the respect and affection of many.
He was very active in his community all his life; from his birth at home in Kerrisdale to his school days at Quilchena Elementary School, Point Grey Junior High School, Magee High School, and U.B.C; through to the many years enthusiastically supporting his children and grandchildren in their various, mostly sporting, endeavours. He and Kay and Sheena travelled to Europe many times, and to his mother’s home village of Lochmaddy, North Uist – all very special memories. He loved family holidays on Galiano with the Bice family, the beaches of the west side of Vancouver, the Fraser River and most especially time with Kay and his family at his home in Kerrisdale. Ian’s children are grateful to the staff of Crofton Manor.
A private family graveside service will be held. Ian, Dad, Grandpa, Uncle Ian - Your wife Kathleen, your children and their spouses, grandchildren, sister, sister-in-laws, nieces and nephews will remember you and love you forever. Please raise a toast to Ian in the summer months ahead and celebrate a life well lived and a man loved by so many. We are profoundly grateful for his time with us. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in memory of Ian Mair to support the Alzheimer Disease Patient Care fund at VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. This fund was chosen to honour Ian's wife Kathleen, who still lives with this disease. You can donate at vghfoundation.ca/ian-mair, by calling (604) 875-4676, or by mail to VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation (190-855 West 12th Ave. Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9).