Brian ISHERWOOD

1934 - 2022

BRIAN ISHERWOOD (Born 1934) Professional engineer, thespian, and music lover died on September 24, 2022. Brian grew up with his sister, Marion and brother, Michael, in Barnet, North London. During the war, the children were evacuated to Warminster far away from the London bombings. Brian went on to graduate from Birmingham University in civil engineering whilst performing in numerous theatrical productions, notably playing Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest. After university, he joined the RAF as Flight Lt. and was stationed in Aden building runways for the Sultan of Beihan. Married to Diana Strasser, they returned to the English countryside making their new home in Litchfield in 14th C. Rose Cottage. In 1967, with their two children, Katika and Simon, in tow, they immigrated to Canada by ship and Brian started at Franki Construction in Toronto. Two more children were born, Sarah and Timothy, as well as his own company, Brian Isherwood and Assoc., specialising in geostructural engineering. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the company which has grown in size and reputation under the succession of Nadir Ansari. Brian introduced numerous technologies to the Canadian excavation support and ground engineering industry with a myriad of projects such as the CN Tower, the Skydome, the Sarnia Rail Tunnel Emergency Rescue Shaft, the Billy Bishop Tunnel, and the Niagara Falls intake shaft cofferdam. This work garnered him many awards including the Ontario Professional Engineering Award in 2015. At the same time as digging holes, Brian raised the voices of the St. Andrew Church Choir as conductor, performed in musicals with Clarkson Theatre, and produced a variety of works at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. He was a pragmatist with a passionate heart and brilliant wit - with a drive for problem-solving and a mentor's gift for inspiring critical thinking in all he met. Brian took life as it came, not even the loss of a leg in his 80s could impede his passion for life - an artistic and creative spirit channeled to his four children, ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. T. Isherwood Visitation will be held on Friday, September 30, 2022, at the Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home, 64 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville (one block East of Kerr Street) from 6-8 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at St. Andrew Parish, 47 Reynolds Street, Oakville at 10:30 a.m. Online condolences at www.koprivataylor.com.