TERRY GRIER

1936 - 2023

GRIER, TERRY Terence (Terry) Wyly Monro Grier, of Toronto, passed away peacefully, and surrounded by loved ones, on March 13, 2023. He was 86. He leaves his beloved wife, Ruth Grier (nee Dowds); sons David (Deborah Grier), Timothy (Jennifer Burrows), and Patrick (Carolyn Galvin); grandchildren, Andrew, Matthew, Heather, and Daniel (mother Deborah); Genny, Liam, and Nicholas (mother Julie Corey); Erin and Emily (mother Teresa Martin); great-grandchildren, Benjamin, and Kaladin; sister, Sheila Gallagher; and nieces, Susan and Cathy. Terry was born August 12, 1936 in Lennoxville, QC, to Ruth and Crawford Grier, joined two years later by his sister, Sheila (Gallagher). He began his schooling at Bishop's College School, where Crawford served as headmaster, and later at Upper Canada College before graduating from University of Toronto School. He attended university at U of T's Trinity College, where he met Ruth, recently arrived from Ireland. There they began a remarkable lifelong partnership, graduating together in June 1958 and married six months later on December 5, 1958. They shared many interests - a love of outdoors, keen intellectual curiosity, and a strong sense of social justice that would steer both their lives. As a young couple, they devoted their efforts to the formation of the New Democratic Party in 1961, settling in Ottawa where Terry worked as Federal Secretary, leading both national and provincial campaigns across the country. Between 1960-65, Ruth and Terry produced three sons and his role as father is one Terry cherished all his life, from which he took immense joy and devoted great effort. His boys, their partners and children, are forever grateful. In 1966, Terry and the family moved to Long Branch, in Toronto, in order for Terry to pursue his political ambitions as an NDP candidate. They bought a house on Arcadian Circle and remained there happily for the next 55 years. Terry's first attempt at federal election in 1968 failed, and with a young family to feed, in 1969 answered an ad in the paper and was hired to teach political science at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. All the while he continued his work with the NDP (as did Ruth, who was elected an Etobicoke councillor in 1969 and in 1985 to the Ontario Legislature) and was elected to Parliament as the member for Etobicoke Lakeshore in 1972. There he shared the benches with his political heroes and mentors such as Tommy Douglas, David Lewis and Andrew Brewin (father to his great, lifelong friend, John) - and also established a deep friendship with Ed Broadbent. Terry was defeated in 1974, and while he never again ran for office, worked with Broadbent as head of the NDP's election planning committee from 1977-84. His efforts helped the party to key electoral advancements in 1979, '80 and '84. He was a close advisor to Broadbent during the turbulent Charter of Rights and constitutional battles in the early 1980s. Terry's other great professional devotion was Ryerson (now Toronto Metropolitan University). After a decade of teaching political science he was named Dean of Arts in 1979, later Vice President Academic, and then President in 1988. It was in that role that Terry initiated and shepherded the school into full university status in 1993, and he took great pride in watching the school grow and flourish under the leadership of successive presidents after his retirement in 1995. He was named President Emeritus by the Board of Governors and in 2000 was awarded, along with Ruth, an honourary Doctor of Laws. That same year, both were granted honourary Doctors in Sacred Letters from Trinity College. It was in 1995 that Ruth suffered her only political defeat, having served as a cabinet minister with the Ontario NDP from 1990-95, and with open sea in front of them, the pair sailed into a joyous and adventurous retirement. For many years they shared time at their two beloved retreats - Crowe Lake and Glen Huron - canoeing, skiing, gardening, and reading, Terry's favourite pastime. Terry loved to spend as much time as he could with his children and their families - walking, paddling, sailing, golfing - and always with a delicious BBQ and a drink at the ready. He especially took great joy in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and was in the audience at many a school performance, graduation, soccer or hockey game. Terry had a deep sense of service, and in retirement he devoted his organizational skills to the things dearest to his heart, including the NDP, Trinity College (as Chairman of the Board of Trustees), and St. Margaret's Church in New Toronto, where he served as warden and a key fund-raiser, baritone in the choir and diligent pot-washer in their Out of the Cold food program. For years, Terry would rise before dawn on Christmas Day to help serve hundreds of meals. He was named to the Order of the Diocese in 2013. Though Alzheimer's disease began to rob Terry of memories late in his life, it never defeated his love for Ruth, and he lived in happiness with her until his final day. He will be forever loved and missed. Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at Trinity College Chapel, 6 Hoskin Ave., Toronto. Visitation will be held Monday, March 27th, 4-8 p.m., at Ridley Funeral Home, 3080 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Toronto. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, or St. Margaret New Toronto.