John Harry TAYLOR

1939 - 2020

JOHN HARRY TAYLOR May 18, 1939 - November 18, 2020 (Professor Emeritus - Carleton University) John died peacefully at Park Place Retirement Residence after a short illness. He was born in Edmonton, Alberta, the son of Connie Burden and Jack Taylor. Forever cherished by his loving partner and companion of 35 years, Ruth Kirk. Proud father of: Alex of Vancouver; Sabrina (Nick Torr) of Baton Rouge; Andreas of Noosa, Australia; and Nathan (Erin McClelland) of Madrid. Loving grandfather of Maya, Reif and Eva. Survived by his two brothers Don (late Maureen) of Courtenay, BC and Kent (Pamela) of Edmonton. John was truly a Renaissance man, a consummate communicator, voracious reader and an analytical thinker whose library and conversation bespoke a man well-versed in the humanities. His wonderfully-composed photos hang in homes on Faraday Street where they document the street's children as they grew from babies to young adults and in the halls of the History Department of Carleton University where his portraits of retired professors grace the walls. His Nova Scotia landscapes and seascapes were of professional quality and were sold in a Nova Scotia shop near his summer home. John believed that a healthy body complements a healthy mind. He was a frequent participant in the international cross-country ski race, the Gatineau Loppet; and he was a white water canoeist par excellence, able to tackle any set of rapids with careful planning and use of his superior technique. John was a gourmet cook, a musician, a family historian, a gardener, a builder, and a man who could fix anything. John was clearly a polymath but more importantly, he was a true gentleman who treated all with genuine respect and kindness. He made deep connections with his communities and was generous in his support of them - the villages of Lake Annis and Port Maitland, Nova Scotia, his peers at Carleton University, his neighbours and the international travelers he and Ruth met through Friendship Force Ottawa. Early on, his leadership and ethic of community service were evident. Upon graduation from Victoria Composite High School in Edmonton, he received the highest award in the school-the C.O. Hicks Citizenship Award for service to the school. After high school he worked in a Yellowknife gold mine to earn money for university studies and eventually graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science in physics and engineering and a Masters in history. He worked as a reporter for the Edmonton Journal and later for the Vancouver Sun. Always a learner, John then pursued PhD studies in Canadian history. John had a long and distinguished career as a history professor at Carleton University. His areas of teaching and research were Canadian history and urban history where he was recognized as a leading teacher. He was a co-founder and long-time editor of the Urban History Review as well as a frequent contributor. His leadership was instrumental in bringing prominence to urban history as a field of study in Canada. He was keenly interested in the preservation of Ottawa's built heritage, and with his knowledge enlivened by his ready wit, he was in demand as a frequent speaker at conferences and heritage events. In 1985, John authored the award-winning Ottawa: An Illustrated History. John's family would like to thank the staff of Park Place Retirement Residence for the dedication, care and compassion given to him in the last two years of his life. A celebration of John's life will be held privately due to COVID-19 protocols. It will be shared via Zoom on Saturday, December 5 at 2 p.m. ET. The link can be found on the Whelan Funeral Home website (www.whelanfuneralhome.ca). Messages of condolence can be shared with the family at (condolences@whelanfuneralhome.ca). When it is safe to travel and gather together, John's ashes will be interred in the Taylor family plot in Wainwright Cemetery, Wainwright, Alberta. If you would like to do so, please consider a donation to a charity of your choice in John's memory. Arrangements have been entrusted to The Whelan Funeral Home, tel. 613-233-1488.