Died suddenly and peacefully, surrounded by his family and the prayers of his friends, on December 26th, 2014, in the ICU of the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, BC.
Born in Toronto on May 21st, 1952, and raised in Montreal, Ian studied at McGill University, where he earned a BA, a Bachelor of Theology, and a Master of Divinity from the Presbyterian College. In 2010 he was recognised for his outstanding contributions to ministry and was conferred with a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) from his alma mater.
Called Dr. Victor by his students, Rev. Ian by his parishioners, Ian by his friends and family, Dad by his kids, Papa by his grandson, and Don by telemarketers and the unscrupulous, he wore many hats and was as a mentor and friend to many.
Ian was ordained in Montreal in 1979, and he served as minister at churches in Duvernay, QC; Eckville, AB; Petrolia, ON; West Vancouver, BC; Ottawa, ON; and Victoria, BC, where he semi-retired in May of 2013. During his over thirty year ministry he also acted as a moderator in the presbyteries of Sarnia (ON), Westminster (BC), Vancouver Island (BC), and the Synod of British Columbia. He served on many national boards and committees, including as the Convenor of the Committee on Church Doctrine. He was a prolific writer and speaker, he was a contributing editor to the Presbyterian Record, wrote many feature articles and book reviews, penned weekly newspaper columns in both Alberta and Ontario (where he also hosted a radio show), and he twice received national writing awards from the Canadian Church Press Association, for Best Feature Article and Best Creative Writing. He told the best jokes. In 2013, he took up the post of Acting Director of Pastoral Studies at the Presbyterian College in Montreal, where he took tremendous joy in supporting students and helping to shape the life of the College and the Church.
He was madly in love with Cathy, his wife of nearly 40 years, with whom he shared a life of service. He adored his children, who inherited his bad jokes, vices, and thirst for justice. He was smitten with his grandson, who returned the feeling. He doted on his dog, whom he named Johann Sebastian Bark. He loved music, popcorn, books, hockey, TV, God, and a good fart joke, in no particular order. An intellectual who never made anyone feel inferior, a pastor with boundless compassion, a friend full of charm and laughter, a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, and grandfather, and a nightmare to restaurant employees, he was an awesome person in all senses of the word. Ian had his own flaws, but it was all the better that he could relate to the most broken-hearted people with disarming and sincere love and empathy.
He leaves a gaping hole in the lives of his wife, Cathy (Victoria, BC); son Dan, daughter-in-law Jen, and grandson Matty (North Vancouver, BC); and daughters Rachel (Vancouver, BC) and Letha (Toronto, ON). Ian is also survived by his sister Maggie (Vancouver, BC) and many nieces and nephews in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec.
We, his family, are grateful to the professional and caring staff at the Royal Jubilee Hospital, as well as to his friends and family for their innumerable prayers on his and our behalf.
A visitation will be held on Friday, January 2nd, from 6pm to 8pm at McCall Bros., Johnson & Vancouver (1400 Vancouver Street, Victoria). A service of witness to the resurrection, in thanksgiving for his life, will be held at 2pm on Saturday, January 3rd, at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Victoria, BC (680 Courtney Street).
In lieu of flowers, we would be grateful for contributions to Presbyterian World Service & Development (50 Wynford Drive, Toronto, ON, M3C 1J7) and to the capital campaign of the Presbyterian College of Montreal (3495 University Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 2A8).
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Bros. Funeral Home
www.mccallbros.com.
36 Responses
Ian was a great support and comfort to my family when my father died almost exactly 2 years before Ian. He was generous with his time and presence and we really appreciated that.
Very funny, conspicuously smart, and a great preacher.
Cathy – you and your family are in our prayers.
Dear Cathy and family.
Lilias, Catherine, and I were shocked to hear of Ian’s death. He was a great influence on our family during our time of association at West Van Presbyterian. Please accept our deepest sympathies. He will be missed.
Dear Cathy and children,
I was grieved to hear of Ian’s passing. We shared a deep, warm friendship and fellowship. He enriched my life as he did for so many others. After our professional relationship concluded, I continued to think of him often. I will remember and cherish our friendship all my days. I wish you strength through this difficult time. May his memory always be a blessing to you.
With love,
Stephen Starr
We were so sorry to hear the sad news of Ian. Our family have a treasury of happy memories of the Victor family in Ottawa, from a swim on a hot summer day to time spent with Oscar who despite the theological influence in his life had taking ways. We will miss Ian,. Please keep in touch. Kate and I wish you the blessing of peace.
Dorothy
I saw Ian as a person defined by wit and wisdom in equal measure, mixed with large dollops of generosity of spirit. Though my contact with him was minimal, I feel the richer for it. My sincere condolences to his family.
To Cathy and the Victor family
Heartfelt condolences from Margaret and George Stonyk. Ian was a larger than life presence in our lives, through the wonder that is the internet: an unfailing source of wit and wisdom, good counsel, and bemused sympathy at the vagaries of government. His spirit lives on in an archive of comments, and many generously shared sermons from St Giles and St Andrew’s. Ian was a man of consummate faith, who met and encouraged us in our own Christian journey, living his own beliefs in every aspect of his existence. His family was constant joy to him, and he was blessedly able to continue teaching until the very end.
We treasure his memory, and look to meet again. Meanwhile, there is Facebook, to keep us in touch with you all. It was such a lovely memorial service.
God bless you.
Cathy and all the Victor Family,
We, the Medlock Family, extend our deepest sympathies on hearing of Ian’s passing. I (Rick) personally am glad to have met you both this last summer. With that one encounter and seeing this obituary & condolence contributors above I can see that Ian had the “realism” factor well in hand. Common family item is jokes and fart jokes….
May the love of your family get you through any tough times ahead.
Rick & Elaine, Ken and Linda, Barry and Bonnie and Wendy.
I only heard of Ian’s death this morning at church. My sincere condolences , Cathy.
My husband, Robert, always appreciated Ian as a student…..his sharp mind, his sense of humour, his kind ways…a fun student to teach. He continued to keep tabs on Ian over the years and shared Ian’s jokes with me.
We met a few times during his time in Montreal, the last time being at the reading of The Christmas Carol at St. Columba on Dec. 6th. He was such a marvellous reader ! He was a very fine man. We were all blessed to have known him.
I am so very sorry for your loss.
Our hearts go out to you and your family and we send you lots of love and will be thinking of you.
Sincerest sympathies,
It was my plan to be at the service but threat of snow changed my mind. The obituary, surely the best I have ever read, made me feel as if I had known Ian, and not just you, Cathy. Clearly an intense loss but also what a wonderful use he made of his time with his family and numerous connections. Sincere condolences.