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Ian R. WILSON
June 10, 1946 - October 15, 2025
BORN
June 10, 1946
DIED
October 15, 2025
Ian WILSON Obituary
Ian Robert Wilson, 79, passed away unexpectedly on October 15, 2025, in Mill Bay, British Columbia. Born on June 10, 1946 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Ian lived a life marked by intellectual curiosity, resilience and devotion to his family.
Ian pursued higher education with distinction, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of British Columbia and a Masters in Archaeology at Simon Fraser University. His passion for understanding the human experience - both past and present - shaped much of his life's work and personal interests.
After starting his career in archaeology in Alberta, Ian established his own consulting firm in Victoria. He was an extraordinary leader and mentor, a visionary whose pioneering in the 1980s laid the foundation for what is now British Columbia's archaeological consulting industry. His impact was vast. When he retired, he held twice as many heritage permits than anyone else in BC, a testament to not only his business success, but also to the trust clients, regulators and fellow archaeologists placed in his expertise. His legacy is not only in the sites he helped protect and the reports he authored or edited, but also in the people he inspired and the industry he helped create.
A man of many talents and passions, Ian was an avid gardener who found joy in nurturing life from the soil. He was equally at home in the kitchen, an enthusiastic chef who delighted in preparing meals, especially from his homegrown produce, for those he loved. These hobbies were not just pastimes, but expressions of care and creativity that brought people together.
Ian loved to read and listen to music, collecting and cherishing hundreds of books and CDs over the years. He had a great love of baseball, embracing it with all his heart, playing old guys' ball, supporting his kids and grandkids by coaching and attending their games, and, of course, watching the big leagues on TV. Appropriately, he passed away while watching the Blue Jays defeat the Mariners in the lead-up to the World Series.
Ian is survived by his loving wife, Joann Cain, and four children: Sean Wilson, Reid Wilson, Bethany Pederson (Shane), and Peryl Manning (Joe). Ian was also a proud grandfather to Charlotte, Olivia, Vaughan, Charlie, Brynn, Emma, Jack and Alex. He also carried the great sorrow of losing his infant grandson, Freddie Wilson, not long after his birth. He is fondly remembered by his siblings Malcolm (Sue), Heather (Jimmy) and Rosemary (Rick).
Despite facing pain and disability later in life, Ian embraced each day with courage, determination and a surprising sense of humour. His strength inspired those around him and underscored his unwavering spirit. Now resting in peace and finally free from pain, his memory will live on through the lives he touched.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Ian pursued higher education with distinction, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of British Columbia and a Masters in Archaeology at Simon Fraser University. His passion for understanding the human experience - both past and present - shaped much of his life's work and personal interests.
After starting his career in archaeology in Alberta, Ian established his own consulting firm in Victoria. He was an extraordinary leader and mentor, a visionary whose pioneering in the 1980s laid the foundation for what is now British Columbia's archaeological consulting industry. His impact was vast. When he retired, he held twice as many heritage permits than anyone else in BC, a testament to not only his business success, but also to the trust clients, regulators and fellow archaeologists placed in his expertise. His legacy is not only in the sites he helped protect and the reports he authored or edited, but also in the people he inspired and the industry he helped create.
A man of many talents and passions, Ian was an avid gardener who found joy in nurturing life from the soil. He was equally at home in the kitchen, an enthusiastic chef who delighted in preparing meals, especially from his homegrown produce, for those he loved. These hobbies were not just pastimes, but expressions of care and creativity that brought people together.
Ian loved to read and listen to music, collecting and cherishing hundreds of books and CDs over the years. He had a great love of baseball, embracing it with all his heart, playing old guys' ball, supporting his kids and grandkids by coaching and attending their games, and, of course, watching the big leagues on TV. Appropriately, he passed away while watching the Blue Jays defeat the Mariners in the lead-up to the World Series.
Ian is survived by his loving wife, Joann Cain, and four children: Sean Wilson, Reid Wilson, Bethany Pederson (Shane), and Peryl Manning (Joe). Ian was also a proud grandfather to Charlotte, Olivia, Vaughan, Charlie, Brynn, Emma, Jack and Alex. He also carried the great sorrow of losing his infant grandson, Freddie Wilson, not long after his birth. He is fondly remembered by his siblings Malcolm (Sue), Heather (Jimmy) and Rosemary (Rick).
Despite facing pain and disability later in life, Ian embraced each day with courage, determination and a surprising sense of humour. His strength inspired those around him and underscored his unwavering spirit. Now resting in peace and finally free from pain, his memory will live on through the lives he touched.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Published by The Times Colonist from Nov. 8 to Nov. 10, 2025.
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