Derek SPEIRS

SPEIRS, Derek James
1933 – 2016
Derek died on April 21, 2016 in Montreal, the city in which he grew up in an atmosphere of love and music. The son of British parents, he developed an appreciation of ships and travel through their family annual summer trips across the Atlantic to visit grandparents. But it was his godfather, a businessman, who was his role model and fostered their shared passion. At sixteen, he entered McGill's Faculty of Management and later obtained an MBA and CA. With his warm and caring personality, he made many lifelong friends during the McGill years and even tried his hand at being a soldier in the COTC.
Derek excelled in many companies, including KPMG, Imperial Oil, Kruger, Cyanamid and Consoltex, working in many countries. His acuity, persistence and strong work ethic contributed to a career of which he was truly proud and culminated at Domtar as their CFO and President of the Financial Executives Institute. As a family man and father to Lara, Greg and Scott he revelled in the time he spent with them skiing at St. Margaret's in the winter and swimming at Lac Marois in the summer. Later, with his second wife, Jean Lenzi-Speirs, the family included three stepchildren, Iola, David and Paul and eventually thirteen grandchildren. Christmas was Derek's favourite time of year; it was his great delight to marshal the children and preside as patriarch over the elaborate festivities and they will remember him fondly. Derek and Jean spent twenty-six beautiful years together exploring the world, enjoying theatre at the Centaur and in London and New York, sharing ideas, conversing with friends, long walks in many different cities and simply living.
We shall all miss you so much, my love.
A big thank you to the team at the Jewish General Hospital, in particular the wonderful care of Dr. Stephen Caplan, Chantal Cloutier and the nurses on the eighth floor, who were such a big part of our lives for so many years.
Also, thank you to Suzie Nadeau of the CLSC and Carol Beluse from NOVA for their care and support in the last months.
We invite you to join family and friends for a farewell drink on Saturday, April 30, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the
Mount Royal Funeral Complex,
1297 Chemin de la Foret
Outremont, Québec H2V 2P9
(514) 279-6540