Brian died on Dec. 1, 2015 at Victoria Hospice not far from where he was born in 1942 to Robert T. and Norah Wallace. Brian loved his life.
His wife Marilyn and his daughters, Erin and her husband, Greg Sullivan and children, Wallace and Duff and Anna and her husband, Mark Colavecchia and children, Enzo and Remy, formed his cornerstone. He was devoted to his family and so proud of each of their accomplishments. He was always respectful, giving thoughtful advice only when asked. His absence is already deeply felt but he has left so many great shared memories and 3 strong women. His sister, Barbara Craigie, (husband Ross Craigie and sons Ian and Keir) was his treasured lifelong friend. Ian and Brian travelled many miles together on their BMW motorcycles (see http://longwayshome.net/). Ian always got Brian home and almost always in one piece.
Brian started at Margaret Jenkins School, was a member of the Fairfield Cub Scout Troop and a member of the YMCA Swim Team. He kept close friends from each, all of his life.
He graduated from UBC Law School in 1968 and practiced in Victoria before joining the Foreign Service as a Trade Commissioner. After 2 years in Mexico City, he moved to Ottawa to work in the Dep’t of Justice in Tax Litigation. From there he joined the Vancouver law firm, then Lawson, Lundell where, as Senior Litigator, he had a wide and varied practice for 32 years. At the same time he spent countless hours volunteering as a Bencher with the Law Society of B.C. He remained on the Society’s Disciplinary Panel until just months before he died.
In 2007, Brian joined Angela Westmacott and Deborah Lovett in Victoria working in Public Law and sitting as an Arbitrator. This was a happy and rewarding alliance that brought him great personal and professional satisfaction.
There were many other highlights in Brian’s career such as serving as Senior Legal Counsel on the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of the Fraser River Sockeye Salmon. But what was always apparent throughout his years practicing law was the pleasure he received from working with and mentoring young lawyers. “Brian was the most influential person in my career. His moral compass pointed straight and true. He taught us that honesty and integrity were the best guides through grey areas.” Peter Feldberg.
Brian had a deep and sincere enthusiasm for life and for the people around him. He took great joy in his countless friendships, both old and new. He had a love for art, music, food and architecture. And particularly enjoyed sharing these passions with the people in his life.
Thank you Dr. Susan Edwards, Dr. J.P. McGhie and Dr. Isabelle Vallières and everyone at Victoria Hospice.
“Over the past weeks (and really for our entire lives), our family has been on the receiving end of so much love, kindness, generosity and compassion. People have truly given us the very best of themselves. And we are so, so grateful.” Erin, Anna and Marilyn
A Celebration of Life will be held at Shaughnessy Golf Club at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 22nd, 2016. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Victoria Hospice or the Access Pro Bono Society of B.C. Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall’s Funeral Home
23 Responses
Dear Family:
I was a paralegal at Lawson Lundell LLP and had the good fortune to work with Brian for a number of years and, in fact, he hired me in 1987 when he was the head of the Litigation Department. He was a brilliant lawyer and a true gentleman and I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity of knowing him.
Best wishes.
Heather Bennett
Hello Marilyn and family. I received this sad news as I wait in RJH to see what options there are for my heart. My memories are from the younger Shawnigan Lake days, when close family gatherings were more common. I always found Brian to be totally open and accepting. With any luck, in the new year we might get together.
Mike Lund
Dear Marilyn Murray and I were very sad to learn of Brian’s illness and Death. We did not k now him well but do have happy remembrances of occasions we did share either in your home on Brighton or here on San Fernando,
You are all in our thoughts and prayers at this time and hope that memories will help to ease the pain of Brian’s passing.
Blessings
Ann and Mujrray
I had the pleasure of meeting this extraordinary man later in my life through his dear daughter Anna. In our few meetings I was drawn to his dignity, honorability and skill at being a father, husband, and valuable human in this world. I was so deeply saddened to hear of his struggle and loss in life. He will be greatly missed but never forgotten as he holds a special place in many hearts. We will all miss you Brian.
Erin, Anna and Marilyn Wallace:
I am probably not a very familiar name to you, but back in the 1950’s and 1960’s, Brian was one of my best friends.
I too was a member of the “Fairfield Cub/Scout Troup”, so that would put my first introduction to Brian at around 1951 or 1952. The time that we became really good friends was when we started attending Vic High from 1957 to 1960. There we played on the school rugby teams together and just generally hung out and socialized.
During the summer of 1959 I worked on a Cattle Ranch in the Merritt area, which paid $125 per month. As the ranch was a ways out of town, I was able to save every penny that I earned. Upon my return to Victoria for our last year of high school I purchased a 1941 De Soto two door coupe for $225. A couple of months later, I tore the ligaments in my ankle while we were playing rugby, As the De Soto had a clutch, I couldn’t drive it until I got better. I tossed Brian the keys and he became my personal driver for the next month or so. We also worked together that winter in the shoe department at Eaton’s. We worked Friday nights till 9:00 and all day Saturday. For these efforts we received a little pay envelope each week with $12.30 in it. This barely covered the gas for the De Soto.
After high school in 1960, my family moved to Vancouver. I started attending UBC, while Brian spent 2 years at Victoria College (University), before transferring to UBC to pursue his Law Degree. In 1962 Brian and I became Fraternity Brothers when we joined Psi Upsilon Fraternity, along with a few other Victorians’.
In 1965 I was married while heading into my final year at UBC and Brian was my best man.
We didn’t see a lot of each other in the ensuing years, but whenever we did get together it was always enjoyable as we caught up on each other’s news,
Erin, we met a couple of times when you first moved to Langley and got involved in horses. Silke and I owned High Country Horseshoes back then.
My most recent visits with Brian were at some of our High School reunions (50 year and 55 year) and on one of his Motor Cycle excursions through the interior where he stopped to visit us at our home in Armstrong.
I always considered Brian to be one of my two best friends from our school days and I will truly miss him,
As somebody said on one of the many pack horse trips that I have taken in the mountains, when heading down a trail, somebody has to go first to find the way, and the rest of us will follow. Brian has just gone on ahead.
Dennis Yardley
Marilyn, Erin, Anna, grandkids and extended family members,
Brian was a lovely man who I will always hold in high regard. I worked with him for seven years at Lawson Lundell and then happily bumped into him over the roughly 10 years since then. We would have the occasional beer or lunch or dinner. He was such a fascinating and interesting man. He was the kind of lawyer most of us want to be like, and he was the kind of man most of us want to be.
Of course, I had the pleasure of performing with Brian in Mr. Fancy Education (where he performed songs by Pulp and The Pursuit of Happiness with us). One of my favourite interactions with Brian was shortly after my son had been born (about 15 years ago). Brian asked me how I was enjoying being a dad. I told him how much I loved it and how every stage in my young son’s development was so amazing. “It IS amazing, isn’t it?” he said, “I just got back from having lunch with my daughter. Even when they’re adults it gets more amazing every year!” Brian regularly boasted to me about his family. It was wonderful hearing him talk about you.
When I told my son (who met Brian a few times) that Brian had passed away he said: “I’m sorry to hear that, Dad. Why don’t you go home and pour yourself a cup of tea in your Brian Wallace mug?” I had made mugs commemorating Brian’s performance of “Common People.” You’d be surprised how many people have asked me for one of those mugs! Brian accompanies me at breakfast on most mornings.
I am deeply sorry for your loss. Brian will be missed by the many people he helped or inspired both inside and outside of the legal profession.
What a fine gentleman he was.
Michael Bain
The Directors and Staff at Access Pro Bono were deeply saddened by the news of Brian’s passing. He was a long time supporter of access to justice and we greatly appreciated his support over the years. Our heart felt condolences go out to Brian’s family.
Dear Marilyn and family…I knew Brian when he was a little boy and thru our teen years. My brother Bill McElmoyle went thru school and Cubs with Brian .. our Mothers ‘ taking turns driving. Happy memories.
We had a vacant lot across the street from our family home on Rockland. We named it Eagle Park. Brian and other pals would ride their bikes up the hill and we many hours of serious baseball. We had so much fun.
My most sincere sympathy to you all. Sincerely Suzanne Hepting {McElmoyle}
Marilyn, I have not seen you or Anna for many years….and so I remember you from our Canterbury days in Southlands, as we were then. It was, therefore, a shock to read Brian’s obituary in the Vancouver “Sun” recently, because, after all, we are so young! But of course we are not so young any more and those days were a long time ago. I am so sorry to learn of Brian’s death and send my sincere condolences to you and your family.
Brenda Clarke
Marilyn, so sorry to hear about Brian. I will be at Shaughnessy on January 22nd to see you, Erin & Anna. I am at Tapestry at UBC Campus. Love Katie Drysdale