Robert JARVIS

ROBERT E. JARVIS, Q. C. November 15, 1935 to December 14, 2017

Robert 'Bob' died peacefully at the Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital at the age of 82. He is predeceased by his beloved wife of 55 years, Joan Elizabeth (nee Bales), whom he first met at a 'sweet 16' party in 1952. He will be sadly missed by his three sons, David (Fay), Donald (Willa Black) and Douglas; and his five grandchildren, Cassandra, Laurel, Harry, Alexa and Louis. He is survived by his younger brother, John (Wayne) and their children, Eden and Stuart, and predeceased by his sister, Judy. He will also be missed by his sister-in-law, Margie, and her children.
Born in Ottawa, Bob's family moved to Toronto where he attended Earl Haig Secondary School in North York and met his future spouse, Joan. After high school, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and was awarded his pilot's wings in 1957. While serving with the 418 Squadron in Edmonton, he attended the University of Alberta and obtained a B.A. in Political Science (1960) and a Bachelor of Laws (1963). He and his family then moved back to Toronto where he obtained an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School (1964). From the late 1960s' onward, Bob remained an active and prominent practitioner of Ontario municipal, environmental and land-use planning law, including being a founding partner of Jarvis Blott Fejer Pepino in Toronto.
Bob's lifelong interest in politics and civic service led him to electoral politics. He served as Member of Parliament for Willowdale in the Progressive Conservative Government of Joe Clark. He then continued his commitment to public service by serving as Chair of the Board of Directors, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for five years (1985-1990). One of his proudest achievements in this role was to ensure that the Board of CMHC focussed upon and recognized the unique housing challenges faced by Indigenous communities in the far north. In 1988 he was appointed a delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements. He received an Outstanding Lifetime Achievement award from the Toronto Chapter of Lamda Alpha International, an honorary international land economics society, for his contributions to the Canadian housing and municipal sectors. Other community Boards upon which he served included the Urban Development Institute, the Skylight Theatre Inc., the International Churchill Society, the administrative Board responsible for the Dora Mavor Moore Awards for excellence in theatre, and the Mississauga Symphonic Association.
Bob's passions were his family, politics, theatre, some sports (golf and baseball), reading, travelling, entertaining friends, and the many family dogs (Skippy, Samantha, Scooter and Cheyenne). The Jarvis family wishes to thank the staff of the Palliative Care unit at Mackenzie Health for their kindness and compassion. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society and/or the Canadian Liver Foundation.
Visitations will be held at the Morley Bedford Funeral Home (159 Eglinton Ave. West, Toronto) on Wednesday, December 20th from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A Funeral Service will also be held at the Morley Bedford Funeral Home on Thursday, December 21 at 11 a.m.