RON BLAIR Ronald Scott Blair, born in the United Kingdom in 1935, died peacefully in Harriston, Ontario, on August 22, 2023, at age 87. Ronald was diagnosed with leukemia at age 84 with a prognosis of months to live, but did not let that stop him from doing everything he usually did for another four years. Predeceased by his parents, William and Kate (Morrison) Blair of Paisley and the Isle of Lewis; and by his brothers, Archie, Iain and Calum. Survived and forever remembered and missed by his wife of 62 years, Margaret (Telfer); children, Katherine, Fiona and Gordon; and grandchildren, Nicholas, Ariane and David; as well as nephews and nieces in the UK. Ronald was the youngest of four brothers. He emigrated from Scotland as a young man, settling in Toronto, where he and Margaret raised their children. Ron was one of the first instructors of Ryerson Polytechnical Institute's (now Toronto Metropolitan University) journalism program, before moving on to a long career as a Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto. He also served as the inaugural Academic Director and a driving force in the 1976 creation of the Ontario Legislature Internship Program, which continues to thrive today. Ron was a private and modest person. To the end, he was an empathetic listener and support to his family. We are so sorry not to have had him with us for longer. Our sincere thanks to his GP, Dr. Chu; oncologist, Dr. Dicu; and the nurses, especially Penny and Shaun, who enabled Dad to live fully until the end. Family funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Hardy-Lee Funeral Home, Harriston. www.hardyleefuneralhome.com
Published by The Globe and Mail from Sep. 2 to Sep. 6, 2023.