Gregory Neil MacIsaac

1953 - 2021

We are heartbroken by the passing of my son and our brother Gregory Neil MacIsaac.  

Greg always knew how to make an entrance and his birth was no different.  He was born the middle of January, 1953.  Greg was the first baby born that year and was declared the New Year Baby of our home town of Schreiber, Ontario. He is lovingly remembered by his mother, Ruth MacIsaac of Winnipeg, his siblings:  Colleen (Ken Dalton) Winnipeg,  Michael (Roberta Webster) North Gower, Ontario and Rhonda (Dr. Ron Tough) Winnipeg.  Greg leaves 11 nieces and nephews as well as 15 grand nieces and nephews.  Greg was predeceased by his father John J. MacIsaac (2007), brother Jack (1982), niece Laura (1984) and brother Kevin (1958). 

His was a life of travel, adventure, and dedication. His enormous smile and roaring laughter was infectious. Greg's charisma was striking which allowed him to draw you in to the storytelling of his many extraordinary exploits. True or not or embellished it didn't matter, he was captivating. Was it the lioness in Tanzania, or the shark in the Great Barrier Reef that took those fingers from your right hand, we can only be left to imagine now. 

For some their life changed by the mere experience in knowing Greg. No truer words were written by his dear friend and colleague Gary MacPhie than ‘when life introduces you to a new opportunity or brings a great person into your life, it's essential to seize the moment and pay attention.'  It was 1985, Greg had been working as a teacher in International schools in Israel and Columbia. It was his enthusiasm for teaching with the international schools that compelled Gary to accept a job in Singapore and Greg would move on to Turkey. Their paths would cross many times going forward, their friendship never lost.

For Greg, it wouldn't be until his posting at the International School in Tanganyika, Dars Es Salaam, Tanzania that he would accomplish one of his most proud achievements. His collaboration with Dr. Jane Goodall (primatologist) helped to develop the Roots and Shoots program (1991) for youth from preschool to university age. Their goal was to initiate the youth to work on environmental, conservation and humanitarian issues. Gregs ongoing friendship with Jane Goodall is something he cared about deeply and always cherished. 

His final posting with the international community would take him to Beijing, China in 1996. He was one of the founding teachers for WAB, Western Academy of Beijing. The diverse curriculum suited Greg's acumen for teaching. He taught each of his students that anything was possible and that they all had the potential to achieve. He was affectionately known as Mr. Mac by the students, and Fella by his colleagues. If he called you ‘kiddo' you wore that like a badge of honor. Greg was the resident videographer and ‘literally' recorded the history of WAB. Always seen with camera in hand he documented every event and occasion. Hidden behind a post, perched high on a scaffold, crouched behind a prop, Greg would capture the moment for all to experience. 

Greg was a natural athlete. He pitched ball for the University of Manitoba and Canada Packers in the 70's-80's and carried on abroad playing rugby for Tanzania, five-a-side soccer in Columbia and hockey in Singapore. He was instrumental in starting a Beijing Hockey league among students and friends. Everyone knew him for his fastball, badminton, and squash. His love for the Montreal Canadiens was widely known and he remained a loyal fan. His favorite professional baseball team was the Toronto Blue Jays. He had taken in a game at the Rogers Centre in Toronto just a week before his passing. He was sporting the ‘Bo Bichette' look with a wide bandana holding back his long hair. How fitting was it then for Greg to open his own sports bar in the Beigao area of Beijing suitably called Fellas, where nobody knows your name. We invite you, if you find yourself enjoying a pint in this popular establishment, to raise your glass in a toast to Fella. He would relish that. 

Philosophy was a passion of Greg's. He was an existentialist who by definition believed that we are each responsible for creating purpose or meaning in our own lives. He shared the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard's belief that “everyone would die but also that everyone had an immortal self or soul, that would go on forever.”  Together with his dear lifelong friend Raymond Bergeron, they found the perfect resting place for Greg's ashes. A beautiful vantage overlooking his hometown of Schreiber, Ontario. You've come full circle, our brother. Time to rest. A summer memorial  2022 is planned.  Many thanks to Raymond and his wife Carol for making this happen for Greg. Greg loved you both so much.  

We, his immediate family, grieve for the life we didn't share with Greg because of his living abroad. We find solace in knowing that he was loved by so many, so deeply and so honestly. His Friend Kathy Ferrer recently wrote in his remembrance, “ Greg lived his life like he danced-big smile to put people at ease, eyes closed to relish the moment, heart open to receive and share joy, and feet going where passion leads them.”

Even with his cancer diagnosis, his death was unexpected at this time. Greg was accepted into a drug study for his rare cancer using immunotherapies under the excellent care of Dr. A. Hansen and the infusion team at Princess Margaret Cancer Care Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They were a family to him, treating him with kindness and tender care and for that we will be forever grateful. 

Donations in Greg's memory can be made to BRAS Drug Development Program under Dr. Aaron Hansen, Princess Margaret Cancer Care Hospital, Toronto, Canada or The Jane Goodall Foundation, Roots and Shoots Program (Global Chapter of your choice) https://www.janegoodall.org/make-a-difference/ or https://www.rootsandshoots.org/about-us/

We will miss you Fella.