On May 22, 2021, our lives changed forever. Ian succumbed to injuries he sustained on May 15th when he was struck down by a vehicle while out for his daily walk.
Ian was born in North Sydney on June 15th, 1954, the first child of Dr. Ed and Shirley (MacDonald) MacIntosh. He was a devoted son and a loving brother to his siblings, Jan and Peter. He grew up in North Sydney and then went to Carleton University and Dalhousie where he earned a BA and an MLS degree.
After graduation, he and his high school sweetheart, Kathy Jackson, married and moved to Woodstock, NB and later to Charlottetown, PEI, where he worked as a Library Administrator. In NB and PEI, Ian and Kathy made lifelong friends and had many happy times curling, gardening and just being young newlyweds.
When an opportunity to return to Cape Breton arose, they enthusiastically moved home and started a family. Ian served as Regional Librarian for the Cape Breton Regional Library System for 37 years before eventually stepping back from that position to become the Deputy Chief Librarian, allowing him to devote more time to building the library’s collection of holdings. The library system underwent many changes during his tenure – the addition of the children’s library, the automation of services and the acquisition of online resources, to name a few. He became close with his coworkers over the years and remained a frequent visitor to the library, even after his retirement. He was proud of what he accomplished despite the lack of adequate funding allotted to our region.
Though work was important, Ian’s greatest source of pride was his family. He was a wonderful father to Adrienne, Jackson and Mary. He was always keenly interested not only in what they were doing but what they were thinking and feeling. When granddaughters Evelyn and Amelia were born, well, that was just the icing on an already perfect cake. Whether it was family vacations or just regular day-to-day life, we have been left with a treasure trove of good memories. When the kids moved far and wide, it provided an excuse for some great adventures. Whether it was down to Cottage Road or to Montréal, France, Korea, Portugal or the Czech Republic, getting together with the kids was always the highlight.
Ian was an active member of First United Church which, through amalgamation, became part of United Heritage Church. He was a long-time member of Masonic Lodge (MacKay No. 113) and appreciated the fellowship it provided. In recent years he joined the Cape Breton Chordsmen and found that he enjoyed group singing and the new friendships it fostered. In retirement, Ian seized the opportunity to delve into genealogy, something he found very satisfying with his passion for history. He also enjoyed helping out with work on the Baille Ard Trail, puttering around in the garden, volunteering for beach cleanups and, of course, his daily long walks.
Anyone who ever met Ian was struck by his intelligence, his quiet dignity, his kind manner and his dry sense of humour. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He will be missed by many but none more so than his family.
Ian is survived by his wife, Kathy (Jackson); his children, Adrienne (Jonathan Collins), Jackson (Allison Goldfarb), Mary (Devin Burger), and granddaughters, Evelyn and Amelia Collins; his sister, Jan (Chris) Palmer; his brother, Peter (Jennifer Johnson); his Palmer nieces, Laura (Matt Theoret) and baby Joshua, Ellen (Matt Gleddie); his goddaughter, Kathleen Palmer (Seán Feeney); his MacIntosh niece, Hope; his in-laws, Theresa (Walter) Pelley, Shirley MacLeod, Sandy (Anne) Jackson and Rhonda Black. He is also survived by numerous MacIntosh cousins and Aunt Mary Russo in Dundee and West Bay (his own dad’s birthplace), with whom he remained in close contact, and the MacDonald cousins on the mainland.
Ian was predeceased by his parents (Ed and Shirley MacIntosh) and his parents-in-law (Edna and Ralph Jackson).
Though the medical professionals at the Emergency Department at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, the Life Flight team and Ian’s care team at the QEII ICU made their best efforts to save him, it was not to be. We are grateful for their compassion and professionalism.
Visitation will take place at Sydney Memorial Chapel on Friday, September 24 from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. with a Masonic Service being held at 6:30 p.m. Covid-19 restrictions will be strictly followed at the funeral home.
A Time of Remembrance and Celebration of Life will be held at United Heritage Church, 500 Charlotte Street, Sydney, on Saturday, September 25 at 2 p.m. with the Reverend Heather Wright officiating. Masks and social distancing are mandatory. Due to pandemic restrictions, the seating capacity is limited so attendance is by invitation only. The service will be live streamed and can be viewed by visiting the Sydney Memorial Chapel FaceBook page. Following the service, interment will take place at Lakeside Cemetery for family members only.
Anyone wishing to honour Ian’s memory may do so by donating to the Cape Breton Regional Library, the United Heritage Church in Sydney, the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation, the Cape Breton Circle of Care Campaign of the Hospice Palliative Care Society, or a charity of one’s choice.
They followed from the snowy bank
Those footmarks, one by one,
Into the middle of the plank;
And further there were none!
“Lucy Gray”, Wordsworth
Words of comfort can be sent to the family at www.sydneymemorialchapel.ca or e-mail sydneymemorialchapel@ns.sympatico.ca
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Ian Ross MacIntosh 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Sydney, Province: Nova Scotia