IWK o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2006-05-06 published
LINDSAY,
John
W.
Sr.
It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of
John W. LINDSAY
Sr. on May 5, 2006 due to complications from
lung cancer. Born in Brooklyn, New York on June 2, 1926 to Harry
Dayton LINDSAY and Ellen Arlene
McBRINE,
John grew up in Woodstock,
New Brunswick. He served in the Canadian Army where a chance
meeting with a fellow soldier changed his life. There he met
an older man who advised him to become an engineer and see the
world. He entered Dalhousie University with the Veterans' Program
and there he met his lifelong love and partner, Marjorie A.
LANGIN
whom he married in 1948. He graduated with an Engineering Diploma
in 1949 and went on to attend Nova Scotia Technical College where,
in 1951, he earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering. While studying
engineering he was awarded the Bob Waters Award as most outstanding
engineer and was President of his engineering class. John lived
a fully balanced life. In business, he was a visionary developer
and partner and mentor for small businesses and a corporate leader
in large enterprises. In community life, he was a passionate
volunteer, advisor and fund raiser. In his personal life, he
was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, friend and lifelong
fitness participant, sports fan and lover of music. As a developer
his first project was the Strawberry Hill Street lands in North
Halifax. He then built and leased the first multiple occupancy
building in the Burnside Industrial Park and went on to develop
millions of square feet of commercial buildings in the 'Park.'
He also built and developed industrial buildings in Saint_John's,
Newfoundland. His crowning achievement was the Purdy's Wharf
office project on the waterfront of downtown Halifax. The leading
office project in Atlantic Canada, it was technically innovative
and remains the architectural signature of the Halifax skyline.
John loved to partner and mentor in the creation of new businesses.
These included steel and plastic piping, electrical motor rewinding,
container repair, marine electric, mobile catering, pipe cleaning
and repair, hazardous waste handling, equipment rentals, environmental,
demolition earth work, tennis, squash and racquetball clubs,
mathematical software, point of sale promotion and driving ranges.
Beyond the success and failure of these businesses, he valued
his ongoing relationship with each of his partner entrepreneurs.
As a corporate leader he gave valued direction to national and
regional companies. For a decade, he was chairman of Maritime
Life following long service on the mortgage committee. He was
a director of Canada Trust and its predecessor Canada Permanent
Trust. He was a multi-decade director of Corporate Communications
(now Colours), a director of Maritime Telephone and Telegraph (predecessor
to Aliant) and was Chairman of the Halifax Shipyards. He was
co-founder and Chairman of Atlantic Industries. John believed
deeply in the Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth
and the IWK
Hospital and volunteered for both all of his adult
life. At the Young Men's Christian Association, he was a volunteer,
a member, an ambassador, a philanthropist and never ending steward.
He joined the Board in the early 60s and remained as a Director
until 1971. He actively participated in every Young Men's Christian
Association fund raising campaign from 1970 to present. He served
as a board member of the
IWK
Children's
Hospital for more than
ten years, leading major capital campaigns and was the co-leader
of the amalgamation of the
IWK and the Grace Hospital. John was
also the founding chair of the
IWK
Foundation. In the 1970s he
served on the Halifax Board of Trade including acting as Chairman
in 1977. He also performed significant fund raising for his alma
mater, Dalhousie University, and for a number of years served
on its Board of Governors. John received recognition for his
efforts in the community and in business. In 1984 he became the
first recipient of the Halifax Young Men's Christian Association
Red Triangle Award for outstanding community service. In 1991
he earned an Honourary Doctorate of Engineering from Technical
University of Nova Scotia. He was named a Dalhousie Outstanding
Alumnus and was also an honourary life member of the Association
of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia. He was inducted into
the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame in 2004 and in 2005 was
appointed to the Young Men's Christian Association Fellowship
of Honour in a ceremony on Parliament Hill. In his personal life
he made regular fitness an integral part of his day to day routine.
He had played varsity football, rugby and boxing during his university
years. He attended the Young Men's Christian Association advanced
fitness class for three decades, leading the class each year
on his birthday from age 60 to 72. He loved both the workout
and the camaraderie. He and Marge enjoyed their lifelong couple
Friends and he also enjoyed Boys Night Out, poker club and the
Eager Beaver Investment club. John followed all sports avidly
and was a true music lover. He did not prefer any particular
genre, all he liked was 'good music' of all types. His deepest
passions were reserved for his wife, his children and his grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife
Marjorie, son John (Anne
CAMPBELL,)
daughter Deborah (Luca
ROTTA-
LORIA,) grandchildren Jason, Andreas,
Lauren, Alexander and Nicolas and step granddaughter Emma. The
family would like to invite all those who wish to join in the
celebration of his life to a reception on Monday, May 8 from
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the wharf at Purdy's Wharf. A Funeral service
will be held on Tuesday, May 9 at 2 p.m., at First Baptist Church,
1300 Oxford Street, Halifax., Reverend Tim MacFarlane officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Young Men's
Christian
Association of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth or the
IWK
Foundation.
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