Blair Newhouse

Blair Trevor Newhouse was born in 1955 in the rolling hills of Rockglen, a small town of just 500 people on the southern border of Saskatchewan. He was the youngest and fourth son of Eileen and Bob Newhouse. Blair’s grandparents had homesteaded there in 1905 on a half section of land right on the Montana border where they farmed wheat. They also ran the Borderland School Unit. Blair’s father was Rockglen’s town secretary and notary public, and his mother was a war bride who had emigrated from Portsmouth England.

After graduating from Rockglen High School, Blair attended the University of Alberta in Edmonton, graduating with a Bachelor of Education, with a focus in History, Phys Ed, and Economics. His first teaching assignment upon graduation was in Whitecourt Alberta in the early 1980’s. This was also where he met Gloria Rathwell, a fellow teacher, who he married in 1983, after which they settled in Winnipeg, Manitoba. After a few years of teaching, Blair noticed an ad in the yellow pages and saw an opportunity for business within the tech industry. He was then hired by Homestead Computers, where he worked training famers on using agricultural software to increase their yields. Following this period, he travelled to London England where he worked for Wang computers. After returning to Canada, and his first marriage ending, he drove west in his Volkswagen Scirocco eventually ending in up Victoria BC.

In the fall of 1989, he met Joan Wade, who became his spouse of over 25 years. Blair was working for Intrepid Theatre (Fringe Festival producers) in a business capacity at that time, but soon moved on to Press Porcepic/SoftWords, where they developed ‘COZY’, an early iteration of email. Blair’s work at Softwords would take him on frequent travels, including Australia, Germany, England, Scotland, Finland and Morocco.

In 1996, Blair and Joan welcomed the birth of their daughter Claire, and Blair shifted his focus to family and therefore local consulting work. Blair was a devoted husband, father, and provider. He enjoyed family life and community life, hosting Saturday morning soccer games for the local children in the neighbourhood when Claire was young.

Apart from being an active and respected member of the business community in Victoria for over 30 years, Blair’s interests and friendships were eclectic. He often recounted that as a child he would spend hours lying on his back in the tall prairie grasses staring up at the clouds. Perhaps it is partially owing to this dreamy, other worldly landscape that he had the time to develop a rich imagination. So, it is not surprising that he enjoyed writing, both for pleasure and as a creative outlet, especially in mid-life and onwards. He enjoyed reading and writing fiction, had written at least eight or nine short stories, and often had two or three writing projects on the go. He had a gift for dialogue and was encouraged by his creative writing teacher at UVic to publish some of his more recent work.

Over the last eight years of his life, Blair had also found a sense of grounding through attending weekly classes at the Kadampa Buddhist Meditation Centre in Victoria with his close and dear friend Jim. Physical activity was always intrinsic to Blair's nature. He was naturally athletic and enjoyed daily exercise and sports including tennis, golfing, and swimming.

Blair was not someone to ruminate about the past or to dwell, whether in business, sports or in his general life. He was always looking forward, and he encouraged this same optimism in most everyone he met. His cheerful and calming nature brought a sense of ease to those who knew him and his ability to take charge of situations would eventually contribute to the success he had in business. One of Blair’s gifts was his ability to calm and reassure those around him. Whenever he was in a room you felt that everything was going to be okay. His reassuring and cheerful disposition will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Blair is predeceased by his Mother Eileen, Father Bob, and brother Dave. He is survived by his two brothers, Keith and Greg, spouse Joan, daughter Claire and nieces Megan, Gillian, and Erin.

In lieu of a memorial in Victoria this spring, the family has decided to hold the memorial in Blair’s hometown of Rockglen, Saskatchewan on July 21st, following the interment of his ashes.

We apologize for this change in plans, especially as we know that some of you may have wished to share your memories of Blair at the Victoria service. Should you wish to write something, the family would very much like to hear your remembrances of Blair which we would read, with your permission, at his memorial.

Please forward your emails to Claire Newhouse at: [email protected]

Anyone wishing to make a donation in memory of Blair, can please do so through the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Thank you.