Obituary for Ian MacGillvary Parker
Veteran broadcast journalist Ian Parker died in Ottawa on Monday, January 10, 2022. He died peacefully at home with his wife Wendy by his side and just after their son Nick had said good-bye from Tasmania.
Ian MacGillvary Parker was born on November 28, 1937, in Sydney, Cape Breton, the son of Dr. Hardy Parker and Nancy Parker. The loving husband of Wendy Baldwin for nearly 44 years, Ian was the proud father of Nicholas and father-in-law of Philippa, and the doting grandfather of Maxwell and Isabelle, all of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
He also leaves behind many relatives and friends who will miss his intelligence, his dry sense of humour, and his perpetually positive disposition.
Ian had a long and varied career as a broadcast journalist. Starting at age 20 reading station breaks at the CBC radio station in Gander, Newfoundland, he worked his way across Canada in a variety of news and current affairs television roles. These included executive producer of CBLT-TV News in Toronto, West Coast correspondent for CTV News in Vancouver, news anchor of CBC Ottawa’s Newsday, correspondent with The Journal, host reporter of the CBC program, the fifth estate, and host of the Academy Award-winning documentary, Just Another Missing Kid.
He will be remembered with great affection and much laughter by those who were fortunate enough to work with him.
After retiring from broadcast journalism, he earned a Master of Journalism at Carleton University and developed and delivered communications courses to a wide range of clients.
Away from work and in his retirement, Ian was a keen golfer and he got great pleasure from the game on both the good and the not-so-good days on the scorecard. He belonged to a fishing club, sustained more by the friendships he forged there than by any fish he caught.
The family would like to thank the physicians at Bytown Palliative Medicine, particularly Doctors Gupta, Brodeur and Reg and the wonderful team of nurses and personal support workers who looked after Ian with great care and compassion. We also thank our family physician, Dr. Boily, for his strong support.
A celebration of Ian’s life will be held when it is safe to gather.
If desired, donations can be made to the Ottawa Food Bank or to the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting.
Ian MacGillvary Parker was born on November 28, 1937, in Sydney, Cape Breton, the son of Dr. Hardy Parker and Nancy Parker. The loving husband of Wendy Baldwin for nearly 44 years, Ian was the proud father of Nicholas and father-in-law of Philippa, and the doting grandfather of Maxwell and Isabelle, all of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
He also leaves behind many relatives and friends who will miss his intelligence, his dry sense of humour, and his perpetually positive disposition.
Ian had a long and varied career as a broadcast journalist. Starting at age 20 reading station breaks at the CBC radio station in Gander, Newfoundland, he worked his way across Canada in a variety of news and current affairs television roles. These included executive producer of CBLT-TV News in Toronto, West Coast correspondent for CTV News in Vancouver, news anchor of CBC Ottawa’s Newsday, correspondent with The Journal, host reporter of the CBC program, the fifth estate, and host of the Academy Award-winning documentary, Just Another Missing Kid.
He will be remembered with great affection and much laughter by those who were fortunate enough to work with him.
After retiring from broadcast journalism, he earned a Master of Journalism at Carleton University and developed and delivered communications courses to a wide range of clients.
Away from work and in his retirement, Ian was a keen golfer and he got great pleasure from the game on both the good and the not-so-good days on the scorecard. He belonged to a fishing club, sustained more by the friendships he forged there than by any fish he caught.
The family would like to thank the physicians at Bytown Palliative Medicine, particularly Doctors Gupta, Brodeur and Reg and the wonderful team of nurses and personal support workers who looked after Ian with great care and compassion. We also thank our family physician, Dr. Boily, for his strong support.
A celebration of Ian’s life will be held when it is safe to gather.
If desired, donations can be made to the Ottawa Food Bank or to the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting.