Richard James HANDSCOMBE

HANDSCOMBE, Richard James
Died on December 24, 2005, after several years of poor health, aged 70. Only child of Dorothy and James Handscombe (deceased), husband of Jean, father of Matthew and Suzannah, father-in-law of Krista Jackson and Stefan Trudeau and grandfather to Liam.
As a professor at Glendon College, York University for three decades, he shared his fascination with how the English language works, both in everyday life and in texts ranging from metaphysical poetry to Winnie-the-Pooh. His other great passion, a life-long interest in birds, took him around the world. More recently, he has been content to raise his binoculars in his own backyards, here in Toronto and in Montserrat, W.I..
His funeral took place privately, but friends, former students and colleagues are invited to a drop-in reception on Sunday, January 22, 2006, between 3 and 8 pm. Please email mhandsco@matthewhandscombe.com or call (647) 436-0506 for directions. To those who would otherwise send a floral tribute, our family suggests you plant yourself a flower, shrub or tree and watch, quietly, to see what lands there. He would have loved that.