Obituary of Ian Denby Cameron

Be Kind Always. These were some of the last words Ian shared with us.  On a beautiful morning, June 13, 2023, Ian passed away surrounded by his loving family and friends at Riverview Healthcare Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Ian was born in Nottingham, UK.  He began his Canadian adventure by immigrating to Canada as a young child with his Mother, Father and siblings. His father with family were coming to Canada to start a promising new career and life working on The Avro Arrow.  Mid-Atlantic, the work was cancelled and Clan Cameron landed in Canada unemployed where the family pursued other opportunities and created other adventures to build a life together in several locations in Ontario and British Columbia.

From a young age, Ian had a fascination with the stars, patterns, how things worked, mathematics, physics, ancient cultures, archaeology, languages, philosophy, music and photography. Ian is known for his love of life and life-long passion for learning, teaching, sharing his knowledge with others and his students. Ian is remembered as a generous and empowering teacher and as a resourceful and loving colleague and friend.  Ian loved solving problems and contributing to others. 

In August, 1975 Ian and his wife, Catherine, moved to Manitoba.  While Catherine pursued studies in Architecture, Ian was hired by the University of Manitoba initially in the Physics Department and two years later, as the Director of the University of Manitoba’s Lockhart Planetarium and Glenlea Astronomical Observatory. A position held and developed until his retirement in 2017.  In this role, Ian flourished as a member of University College, a dynamic and integrated interdisciplinary community of many disciplines.  Here Ian was known and loved for solving problems with computers, computer programming and data bases, and collaborating with education and research projects for a wide range of disciplines including Astronomy, Mathematics, Physics, Icelandic Studies, Latin Studies, Classics and Archaeology.  With an exciting community outreach program, students ranged from toddlers in day care, with visits to the UofM Planetarium, to seniors with a passion for Astronomy and observing the night skies.  For many years Ian was a member and speaker for the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) with the Manitoba Chapter and contributed annually to RASC Observer’s Handbook.

For many years, Ian also participated and served on boards, committees and as a judge for the Canada Wide Science Fair, Manitoba Schools Science Symposium and Manitoba Indigenous Science and Engineering Fair where he championed and mentored many emerging young scientists.

Ian will be missed and remembered with love and joy for his wonderful smile, endearing laughter, generosity with sharing knowledge, resourceful partnership in solving problems, exploring magic squares, contributing to others, love of life, learning and passion for coffee and, for the youngest ones, known as the man who “made the sky go fast” with the Planetarium.

Thank you, Ian, for being you, the miracle you are and the difference you make for all of us. You will live on in all you have touched, moved and inspired. Thank you.  See you in the night sky.

Be Kind Always; support people and charities you love and make a difference with our world.

Thank you to Riverview Healthcare Centre and all staff for their loving and wonderful support in caring for Ian during this part of his life and passing. Thank you to Alterna Cremation for their caring and sensitive service in creating this inevitable part of life with love, grace and ease.

Thank you all for your love, partnership and friendship.  Love, Health and Happiness Always.