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C. Ian P. Tate

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C. Ian P. Tate

November 14, 1921 - June 23, 2009

TATE, C. Ian P. - Known as ?Ian? to most, as ?Tof? to his family, and as ?Tater? to his few remaining ex-Naval friends. He died June 23, 2009 at the age of 87. Born in Toronto to a Scottish mother and an English father, in 1921, he was proud of both heritages. After eight years in Public Schools in Toronto, he was sent to Trinity College School, Port Hope, where he obtained his ?Senior Matric? in 1941. After a brief six months at the University of Trinity College, U. of T., there followed four years of what he called ?a notably undistinguished career? in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR). He served first in the naval base just outside the town of Gaspe during the navigation season of 1942, followed by appointments as Anti-Submarine Officer in the Bangor class minesweeper HMCS Mulgrave and a new frigate, HMC Ships Valleyfield, on convoy escort duty. He was one of two officers to survive the torpedoing of Valleyfield 50 miles south of Cape Race, Newfoundland the night of May 6/7, 1944. Of her ship's company of 163, including 14 officers, a total of 125 were lost. Returning to sea, he served as Anti-Submarine Officer in another new frigate, HMCS Coaticook, until the war's end. He remained in the RCN Reserve until being retired with the rank of Lieut. Commander, in 1952. Having had a few months at Trinity College before going on Active Service, he returned there. He had an outstanding career at Trinity before earning a B.A. with honours in Psychology, class of 4T8. Employed by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario for the next 17 years, he had four distinct careers: on major hydraulic generation construction projects (Des Joachims, La Cave, and Sir Adam Beck Niagara Generation Station No. 20; in the Employment Office of Head Office; as one of four Organization Analysts; and finally as Training and Information Coordinator in the ground-breaking Data Processing Dept. centred on a Univac II computer. He was lured from Hydro to create a Personnel function in the engineering and project management company, Stone & Webster Canada Ltd., Toronto. After seven happy years there, he was again offered a position he couldn't refuse, with Russell M. Tolley & Assocs., primarily administrating multi-employer employee benefit plans. Another seven years saw him joining four others to form Employee Benefit Plan Services in a similar capacity, until deciding to retire in 1987 to their 57-acre property near Kinmount, ON. In 1950, he married Stella Davidson, she having first turned him down when he asked her to marry him on their first date, shortly after the Valleyfield incident, six years earlier. Ian/Tof/Tater was active in many areas. He was Chairman of the Canadian Audubon Society. (Subsequently steering its evolution into the Canadian Nature Federation). But his chief interests were Trinity College and the University of Toronto. Re the former: he served as Chairman of Convocation and as a long-time member of the Corporation of the University of Trinity College, was appointed a lifetime member. At the U. of T., he was Chairman of the U. of T. Alumni Association. He served as one of Trinity's two representatives on the U. of T. Senate until it was replaced by today's Governing Council. He was then appointed Chairman of one of four of its standing committees. He and his wife moved from Toronto in 1987, first to their newly built home near Kinmount, ON then two years later, to Port Hope, ON where both became active in that lovely town. Stella played a major part in the creation of the Northumberland Lakeshore Hospice Assn., while Ian was twice given Community Awards for his part in the restoration of the local Sea Cadet building and of the Corps itself. Stella pre-deceased him in 1999, after 49 years and four days of marriage that produced two sons, one daughter and five grandchildren. It was his wish that his ashes be placed so that they could join those of his beloved Stella's in the Atlantic Ocean. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 18 at T.C.S. at 1 p.m. in the Davies Centre, with reception following until 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, those wishing may make donations by cheque to The Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps 116 Skeena Port Hope, Hospice Northumberland Lakeshore or to Northumberland Hills Hospital Palliative Care. Condolences received at www.MacCoubrey.com.