Obituary of Ronald A. McINTYRE

April 19, 1934 – January 29, 2013 Ron McIntyre passed away in Calgary on Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at the age of 78 years, surrounded by his family. Ron is lovingly remembered by his wife, Marion, and his three children Howard, Sharon and Valerie, as well as his brother, Michael. He had a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease, complicated by advanced Lewy Body Dementia. Ron’s parents, Molly (Rowsome) of Ferns, County Wexford, Ireland and John McIntyre of Upper Grand Mira, Cape Breton, Canada brought up their four boys in Montreal. They endured many hardships during challenging economic times, but they prepared their boys for future opportunities with their encouragement of academic achievement. (The Rowsomes are famed Irish bagpipe manufacturers and players, going back many generations and still continuing today). At the age of eighteen, Ron was determined to either join the RCMP or enlist for the Korean War. Luckily, the Mounties accepted him into their ranks and his thirty-five and a half year career and great adventure began. Ron’s cadet troop was fast-tracked and deployed into the B.C. Interior with postings in Golden, Ashcroft, Kamloops (where he met his wife-to-be, Marion Chalmers), Lillooet and Kelowna. In 1957, Ron and Marion married, and they moved to Victoria in 1961. Ron’s areas of policing expertise included security planning for large events and dignitaries. Ron was transferred to “HQ” in Ottawa to be part of the Security Planning Team for the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He was then transferred to Edmonton to continue with Security Planning for the 1978 Commonwealth Games then the Protective Policing for the Universiade, the Pope’s visit, as well as many dignitary and royal details including several Canadian Prime Ministers (Trudeau, Clark, Turner, Mulroney and their families); as well as Queen Elizabeth II and many members of her extended family. Ron had his own early brush with ‘celebrity’ on the 1960’s American TV game show, ‘Queen for a Day’; he and a fellow Mountie flew to Los Angeles and appeared on stage, in full Red Serge uniform, representing Canada and promoting a B.C. travel prize. Perhaps the pinnacle of Superintendent McIntyre’s achievements was the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. His pride was not only in the success of his Security Planning team, but also the opportunity to showcase the Canadian spirit to the world via volunteers and the natural beauty of the city and landscape he loved. He received many RCMP Commissioner’s commendations, including one for his leadership as the Federal Security Coordinator for the XV Winter Olympic Games where he was recognized for “the successful planning, coordination and execution of one of the most complex security and policing operations ever undertaken in Canada.” Following retirement from the RCMP, Ron joined Canadian Occidental Petroleum (now Nexen) as Global Security Manager with responsibilities ranging from negotiating with environmental NGO’s to fostering a positive relationship with the military in Yemen as a means to protect CanOxy’s people and producing assets. During a civil war uprising in Yemen, he oversaw the successful temporary evacuation of all personnel and their families on a French Navy ship, from the Port of Aden. Ron was a lifelong student of the human condition, always ready to strike up a conversation with a colleague, neighbour or stranger. He closely followed political, economic and business current events, with a regular dose of CBC Radio’s ‘As It Happens’ and The Economist Magazine. Ron’s famous sweet tooth had him asking for ice cream and milkshakes, even after he went into hospital. An enthusiastic father, he coached youth hockey and baseball teams, built backyard shinny rinks, and endlessly bragged about his kids. Ron is survived by his wife Marion, son Howard and daughter-in-law Dian (Mississauga, Ontario), daughter Sharon (Calgary, Alberta), and daughter Valerie and her fiancé Bill (Surrey, England). He was predeceased by his brothers John and Donnie, survived by his youngest brother Michael of Montreal, and remembered by his many nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Ron’s Life will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S Fish Creek Chapel (14441 Bannister Road S.E.) on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. A heartfelt thanks extended to the staff at Masterpiece Evergreen Care Facility, Dr. Ranjit Ranawaya at the Foothills Hospital Movement Disorder Clinic, and the Rockyview General Hospital Unit 74 and Palliative Care staff for their compassionate care of Ron over these past years. Also, our appreciation goes out to the RCMP Veteran’s Association for their thoughtful visits and camaraderie, and to the individuals with Alberta Health Services and Transition Services for their guidance and support for our family. If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made directly to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, https://www.michaeljfox.org/. In living memory of Ron McIntyre, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Fish Creek Chapel, 14441 BANNISTER ROAD S.E. Telephone: (403) 256-9575.