Richard St. Clair Salsman

It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Richard St. Clair (Rick) Salsman, on Feb 10 2019 at age 68 in Halifax. Rick was a well-known businessman and sailor, and a devoted and beloved husband, father and grandfather. Born in Halifax, Rick attended Queen Elizabeth High School and Acadia University, where he worked on the student newspaper The Athenaeum. This sparked a life-long interest in writing and the news, but Rick’s destiny was to be an entrepreneur. After taking a brief hiatus from university to travel through Europe, he returned to Acadia to resume his studies toward a degree in Business. In 1974 he left Acadia to launch a retail clothing company with his partner Richard Dube. Beginning with one store in Downsview Mall in Lower Sackville, The Jeanery Limited grew to a province-wide chain. Eventually Rick became sole owner of the company, which thrived under the new City Streets banner until the sale of the business in 2011.

Rick met the love of his life Bonnie Dickson in Halifax in 1977, and they were married in Cape Breton in 1979. Rick quickly became a much-loved member of Bonnie’s extended family and he and Bonnie enjoyed some of their happiest times exploring Cape Breton by land and by sea. Outside work, Rick’s interests were many and varied. He was a licensed pilot with an Instrument Flight Rules rating, a skilled and graceful skier, an enthusiastic runner, an avid reader, an excellent cook, a talented photographer and a lover of music. But all other hobbies paled in comparison to Rick’s passion for sailing. He sailed his first boat, Unruly, in many local regattas, but soon changed his focus to cruising when he decided that racing was taking too much time away from his children. His second boat, Hocus Pocus, carried his family on many magical vacations in Mahone Bay and the Bras d’Or lakes. Long before GPS was available, his expertise in navigation allowed him to sail through the thickest of fog to arrive at his planned destination. He shared this knowledge as a leader of a troop of Sea Scouts in Armdale, and in 1989 he planned and led a Sea Scout sailing expedition to the Boy Scout Jamboree in Prince Edward Island. As the years passed, Rick applied his typical single-mindedness and determination to a plan to cruise the world. His last and favourite boat, Aisling 1, took him on the adventure of his life. In 2007, with the help of friends and family members, he and Bonnie sailed Aisling across the Atlantic ocean and into the Mediterranean. Over the course of 10 summers they sailed Aisling to the shores of 11 countries. Their blog describing the adventures of Aisling was a tribute to Rick’s creativity and enthusiasm for life, and they received two awards from the Cruising Club of America for their writing. As much as Rick loved sailing, his greatest happiness came from spending time with his wife Bonnie, friends and family. His new grandson Théo brought him much joy in the final months of his life.

Rick was a member of the Cruising Club of America, the Ocean Cruising Club, the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron and St. Matthew’s United Church. He was a past member of the Board of Governors of the Cruising Club of America and of the Fort Massey, St. Matthew’s and St. David’s Refugee Committee.

Rick is survived by his wife Bonnie (Dickson); son Christopher, daughter Katherine (Martin Noël); grandson, Theodore “Théo” Noël; brothers, Alan Salsman (June) and Robert Salsman (Nancy); sister, Lyn Salsman Waller (Kevin) and his loving nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Dean and Evelyn (Jones) Salsman. Cremation has taken place. Visitation at Cruikshank’s Funeral Home, 2666 Windsor St. on Monday Feb 18 2019 2-4 p.m. and 6.30-8.30 p.m. Funeral Service at St. Matthew’s United Church Barrington St. Tuesday Feb 19 2019 at 1 p.m., reception to follow. Interment will be at Camp Hill Cemetery. The family wishes to thank Dr. Ravi Ramjeesingh, the staff of 8.2 at the QEII Heath Sciences Centre and the many caregivers and friends who supported Rick during his illness. Donations in memory of Rick may be made to the QEII Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund.