IRBY FREDERICK STEWART
October 27 1932 to August 27 2016
Passed away peacefully at home at 83 years after an 18 year battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Irby Stewart the second of four children was born in Campbelton and raised in Tidehead, New Brunswick. Summers when he was 13 were spent sorting logs and building log camps when he was 15.
He began at the University of New Brunswick in 1949 after graduation from Campbelton High School. His academic achievements alone during his five years won him distinction at UNB as he won four scholarships and one for the highest standing in his class.
He graduated in 1954 from UNB with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry following in the foot steps of his father who was in the logging business as well as his Scottish pioneer ancestor from the 1680 who built wood masts for the tall ships in New Brunswick.
He moved to London Ontario and obtained an MBA from the University of Western in 1958. During the summers he had worked for the British Columbia Forest service as well at Canadian International Paper and General Motors Diesel.
Irby worked in the forestry industry for over 30 years. In his early career he lived and worked in bush camps in supervisory capacities in Noranda, Lake Elaine, Mont Blanc and La Tuque, Quebec.He first moved to Thunder Bay in 1965 to work for 2 years as a Marketing Coordinator at Canadian Car returning to La Tuque in 1974.
He worked for Canadian International Paper from 1967 to 1974 then returned to Thunder Bay as a Woodlands Mechanical Superintendent for the Great Lakes Paper Company where he was involved in the expansion of the kraft mill.
He continued working for the company as it changed ownership to Avenor until 1986 when he left for early retirement to pursue his love of professional motivational speaking.
In 1977 his life had begun to change as he realized that he wanted to pursue public speaking.
He joined Toastmasters for 10 years in ThunderBay and became President and spoke on local public television. He was motivated by a positive speaking rally in Minneapolis to begin his new company "Positive Communications" which began in 1986.
He facilitated the world famous Phoenix Seminar on personal and professional excellence which over 3,000 people in Thunder Bay attended and delivered over 600 speeches and seminars to more than 100 various local organizations.An avid reader, he read books on customer service, self help and business.
His most popular seminar was "Total Quality People" and delivered it over 500 times to 21,000 people in Ontario, Manitoba and Thunder Bay. It was his Confederation College course "Positive Communication" that he facilitated for 10 years that he enjoyed the most as it helped people to realize their potential. Irby believed in Thunder Bay and loved promoting the city.
Irby was a sports enthusiast and loved hockey especially the Montreal Canadians.He played hockey in University and was called the "Pocket Rocket" of the Varsity Hockey Squad.
His love of skating led him to inline skating and cross country skiing. He inlined skated 600 km from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste.Marie and 3,000 km in five provinces as well as completed two return trips from Thunder Bay to the border in 1995.
He skated 5,000 km a year and skated from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg as well! He cross country skied when he couldn't inline skate and was a member of the Kamview Cross Country Club and competed in the 50 km Sibley Race in Thunder Bay.
Marion and Irby married August 18 1956 and celebrated their 60 th anniversary August 18 2016. Irby's lifelong love Marion was involved and active in Guiding and a Girl Guide Commissioner for the Thunder Bay Area and a Trefoil Guild member for any years.
He loved his family and together they enjoyed years of hiking, canoeing and skiing in the Thunder Bay area. They have lived in Thunder Bay for 45 years and have 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
Irby was a loving husband to Marion and father to Susan, Doug and Ruth Anne (Jim Peller) . Loving grandfather to Jacob, Emma Lee and Cody. Pre deceased by his parents Mona Statira (nee Whitney) Robert Frederick Stewart and his sister Doris nee Whitman and Doug Whitman. Brother to Ruby nee Anning (Bob) and Elwin Stewart (Shilla)and Uncle to many nieces and nephews and family.
Irby's Life Lessons:
Success. It's all in your mind! Program your mind for success!
The most important of all factors is the mental diet upon which you live.
Be a positive thinker and goal setter.
If you look for the good you will find it!
Keep learning, use your head and embrace change and manage your time.
Smile and enjoy life!
Thank you to the Thunder Bay CCAC and Nurse Practitioner Aaron Medd for support and care for Irby over the past year.
Donations to the Thunder Bay Alzheimers Society in lieu of flowers appreciated.
