Obituaries |
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Obituaries Christopher Beatty John Turner Ross George Benson Larry Wood Kees Brenninkmeyer BEATTY, Christopher Perrin April 26, 1984 - January 30, 2008 Our beloved Christopher passed away peacefully in Chiangmai, Thailand, following a motorcycle accident the previous weekend. He was surrounded in his last moments by members of his immediate family and some of his closest friends, and by the prayers and good wishes of the hundreds of people whose lives he enriched. Christopher's short life was characterised by his need to love and to be loved, his independence of thought, his intense loyalty to those who mattered most to him, and his determination to fight for what he believed was right. He was born at Guelph General Hospital and lived his first eleven years in Fergus, Ontario. As a child, he was bright, fun-loving and often mischievous. He brought enormous joy to his family and to their friends, who loved watching him grow. In 1995, Christopher moved with his family to Ottawa. His most important academic influence came when he was a student at Sedbergh School, where the patient and loving attention from staff and the close friendships he developed helped shape the young man he was to become. He held those friends and the many others he made along the way close to his heart throughout the rest of his life, alongside his immediate family, his grandparents, his aunts and uncles, and his cousins. Christopher chose King's College at the University of Western Ontario, for his post-secondary education, graduating in May 2007 with a BA (Hons) in Political Science and History. In addition to being a natural athlete, he loved music and took particular pleasure in introducing new songs and singers to his family and friends. A skilled writer and a passionate debater of politics and philosophy, he loved to argue about ideas, often long into the night. His charm and his intensity could light up the darkest room. Christopher was delighted when Patrick, his only sibling, became a student at Western. Patrick and Christopher formed a deep bond, and Christopher was prepared to take on all comers to support his younger brother. Christopher's death is a heavy loss for Patrick, who loved him equally strongly, and will always be grateful for their time together. Christopher left Canada for Chiangmai, Thailand at the end of July to spend a year as a residence don at the American Pacific International School. He planned to return to Canada this summer. He would then enroll in graduate school before embarking on his mission to change the world. While in Chiangmai, Christopher found time to explore. In October he visited Cambodia by himself and he spent Christmas with Canadian friends living in Korea. In his final conversation with his parents, he talked about how happy he was and about the warmth of the Thai people. Christopher's last evening was spent with friends from the school, sharing drinks and discussing philosophical issues. After his accident, both the excellent local medical staff and the Canadian government did everything possible to help Christopher and his family. His aunt, Dr. Joanne Wilkinson rushed to his bedside from Australia to assist. Christopher's body was cremated in Chiangmai and will come home to Canada with Patrick and his parents. A service will be held for him at McLaren Hall, Ashbury College, 362 Mariposa Avenue, Ottawa at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 7, 2008, immediately followed by a reception. For those who wish to give a gift in Christopher's memory, the family invites contributions to the Christopher Perrin Beatty Memorial Fund at Sedbergh School, Montebello, QC. Donate Now to the Christopher Perrin Beatty Memorial Fund
John Turner (Rosie) Ross John Ross was a very fine teacher, full of energy and great fun for the students who were taught by him. He never failed to make us laugh when we were feeling down, and he challenged us all to reach for the stars. On behalf of all of us here at Sedbergh, we send our sincerest condolences to John's family and friends. The follow is an extract from the Globe and Mail, for the full text please click here. John Ross passed away peacefully on September 8, 2007, after a long illness. Loving husband, father and friend, John was always quick to bring laughs and joy to the many lives he touched. He will be missed. Born in Quebec City on June 12, 1930, he was educated at Bishop's College School and Middlebury College, before he became a teacher at Sedbergh School in Montebello, Quebec. John's career in film and television began in 1954 when Bob Lawrence asked him to open a Canadian branch of Robert Lawrence Productions (RLP). The same year, John married the love of his life, Rosemary MacKeen, a beautiful artist from Ottawa. ....
George Hagar Benson Everyone knew George because of his contagious personality. George's greatest pride was that his great-grandfather W.T. Benson was the founder of the Canada Starch Company (Cardinal, Ontario), orginally known as Benson's Corn Starch. The biggest joys in George's life were his family, his friends, and his music. His favourite saying was 'The Takers eat well and the Givers sleep well.' Sleep well, George. A celebration of George's life will be held at a later date in Victoria, BC." All Old Sedberghians who knew George send their condolences to his family and friends.
John Lawrence (Larry) Wood After leaving Sedbergh in 1949, Larry went on to Ashbury. He moved out West in 1951, married Sally Pollard in 1954 and the couple had three children, Nancy, Tina, and James. For most of his career, Larry worked in the auction business in one of the leading Canadian auction companies, becoming an evaluator and setting up auctions, mostly for the construction business. Larry has been married to his second wife Lucie, for the last 37 years. Anthony and Jason, a graduate of Sedbergh, are their two sons. Should you wish to be in touch with Lucie or the children, please write This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . for their contact information. Here at Sedbergh we all send Lucie, the children and Larry's friends our heartfelt condolences.
Kees Brenninkmeyer Both accomplished mountaineers, Kees and his girl friend, Claire Dixon, died 4 January 2007 in an accident while undertaking a 30 day traverse of the Wapta Ice Fields (Banff National Park). They were volunteer hut custodians for the Alpine Club of Canada. Kees was 25, driven by boundless energy and an adventurous spirit. He excelled as a ski instructor and had become a professional mountain guide in Argentina, Chile, British Columbia and Alaska. His Sedbergh classmates will remember Kees as a energetic, charismatic young man, excellng in sports and full of laughter. We send to his family and countless friends our heartfelt condolences. For further information and an obituary, please visit Globe and Mail Obituaries. 
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