Samuel Arthur REA Jr.

REA, Samuel Arthur Jr.

died on Sunday, December 18, 2011 after a two-year struggle with incurable brain cancer, which he endured with unfailing grace and courage.
Born November 10, 1944 in Indianapolis, Indiana, Sam grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and attended Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University in 1966. Sam earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1972 and joined the University of Toronto faculty in 1971. He wrote four books and dozens of scholarly articles on Labour Economics and Law and Economics, focusing on torts, contract law and insurance. In 1982-83 he was the Civil Liability Fellow at Yale Law School. He served as a consultant to the Federal government on matters related to unemployment insurance and pensions and frequently appeared as an expert witness in Canadian courts. Sam took early retirement from the University of Toronto to found Northport Systems Inc. Northport developed Fugawi, one of the early programs for displaying digital maps based on GPS positioning. The program has been sold in 130 countries and is well-known in the marine and outdoor recreation markets.
Sam was an avid skier and, with his family, enjoyed the camaraderie at Mansfield Ski Club. Sam and his wife Wendy Thompson are members of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and raced and cruised extensively for the last 40 years. Together they sailed 20,000 miles during the 2005-2009 winters as they explored the Caribbean and the East Coast of the US in their 50-foot sailboat, 'Maestro'.
He loved music and was active in the Harvard Glee Club, the North Toronto Players, the Orpheus Choir, the Hart House Singers and the Annex Singers. He performed with the Harvard Glee Club Alumni Chorus in Japan and Hawaii.
Sam was a wonderful husband and friend to Wendy, devoted father to Sarah Rea and father-in-law to Jim Griswold. Beloved son of Eleanor Appel Rea Golden, cherished brother of Barbara Rea Pearson and Polly Rea, half brother of Scott and James Rea, stepbrother of Charles Golden, Beth Raymond, Ann McCann and Catherine Golden.
A private interment will take place. A celebration of Sam's life will be held on Friday, December 23, 2011 at 11am in the Chapel of Mount Pleasant Visitation Centre in Mount Pleasant Cemetery (east gate entrance off Mount Pleasant Road).
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sam's memory to the Gerry & Nancy Pencer Brain Tumor Centre or the Kensington Hospice via www.etouch.ca.