Michael Jesse Hartley-Robinson

October 18, 1937 - June 8, 2019

Michael passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 8, 2019 in Calgary, Alberta at the age of 81.

Born in Nottingham, U.K., Michael excelled in sports, but channeled his charisma into theatrical arts. He graduated from the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), the youngest graduate in its history. His talents at mimicry and accents were amazing, and he made a living from that voice and charisma for many years, with various theatre groups and the Canadian Broadcast Corp.

Michael served two years in the U.K. military as a paramedic on the island of Cyprus, a dangerous place in those days. He survived with bombings and unrest, and seemed to relish in parachuting from airplanes.

In the early 1960’s, Michael left England for Canada, ending up in Toronto, where he met and worked with Leon Major. Michael followed Leon to Neptune Theatre in Halifax and became Production Manager. After a number of years at Neptune, he joined the CBC as a producer for radio drama, while also performing various acting roles and television commercials, including a national campaign for CIBC.

Michael loved acting, writing, and producing, but he also loved academia. He enrolled at Dalhousie University, graduated in the early 1970's, and taught Theatre Arts there. During that same time, he became president of the Nova Scotia Drama League. In 1973, he married his first wife, Corinne (Aalders), and they traveled extensively over the next 15 years. Michael was inspired by a reputedly haunted house they lived in, and wrote a radio play that won an A.C.T.R.A. Award.

Education trumped theatre, and Michael took a position at Dartmouth Academy, rising to become headmaster there. Hundreds of students passed through his hands in those years, many still remembering him fondly. Michael moved on, this time to a teaching position in Singapore, where he remained until the early 1990's. While in Singapore he met his future wife Nora (Weller) and built a thriving business, training management in Fortune 500 companies.

He returned to Canada a few years later, first to Ottawa, then Calgary, now remarried and a father to two sons, Michael Jr. and Robert. Tragically, in 2016, he lost his elder son, Michael — a shattering experience for any parent and one that saddened him deeply.

Michael is lovingly remembered and will be truly missed by Nora and Robert.

Michael had a quick wit, good humor, a charismatic personality, and an easy smile. Everyone who knew Michael will miss him tremendously.

A Funeral Service will be held at Foster’s Garden Chapel, 3220 – 4 Street N.W., Calgary, Alberta (across from Queen’s Park Cemetery), on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The Heart and Stroke Foundation at https://www.heartandstroke.ca/get-involved/donate.