George Alexander Milne

George Alexander Milne, BASc, MASc, MSc.

George Alexander Milne was born the only child of Beatrice Alice (née Cochrane) and George Alexander in Toronto and raised in Leaside. He showed an early aptitude for music, mathematics, athletics and mechanics (building engines for the cars he raced).

Education

George earned all three of his degrees at U of T, specializing in mechanical and electrical engineering and mathematics. He had a lifelong passion for learning, studying computer science, Jazz music, French, Swedish, and Spanish.

Family

George worked as a stevedore during his Masters degree which led to employment in the engine room on the Signeborg a Swedish ship crossing the Atlantic to Dublin. He then moved to the Chelsea neighbourhood in London, England where he would meet his beloved wife of 51 yrs Lesley Margaret (née Wood, predeceased). They had their first child Anne Marie (Phil) in Bishop’s Stortford followed by Simon George (Fei) and Claire Louise (Bradley) after moving back to Toronto. George lived in the same treasured family home for over 50 years on Winthorpe Road in the Beaches neighbourhood.

Career

Following earlier employment at de Havilland, British Iron & Steel, Bishop’s Stortford College and George Brown College in Toronto, George settled in as a math, physics and computer science Professor at Ryerson for 30 years. This career allowed for a sabbatical, a happy year in 1979 for the family living in Edinburgh, Scotland. George worked on an artificial intelligence research project and learned to play the bagpipes in his spare time.

Athletics and Flying

George was an exceptional athlete from childhood, swimming at the family cottage at Kahshe Lake in Muskoka on Rose Island. He was a member of the Otter Swimming Club in London, England. Throughout his life he won trophies in auto-racing, running, cycling, triathlon, cross-country skiing and swimming competitions throughout Canada, holding Canadian and world records in Masters swimming. Both George and wife Lesley were amateur pilots and enjoyed flying excursions as members of the Buttonville Flying Club. Later in life George continued to be active and studied horseback riding at Stoneway (Equestrian) Academy.

Music

George was a talented musician and music fan, witnessing the performances of many of his favourite jazz “greats” such as Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans. He spent many evenings at the Toronto jazz club, Café des Copains. He completed the Royal Conservatory exams and the York University Jazz program. As a young man in Leaside, George served as a church accompanist and later performed in the 1990s with a jazz group at the Music Hall. Family members, friends and neighbours all greatly enjoyed his piano playing.

With a wry sense of humour and a witty turn of phrase, George loved to talk with anybody. Independent to the end, he passed away July 8, 2023 early in the morning. Much loved and mourned by his children and grandchildren (Jorge Alejandro, Haleigh Marie and Eve Zheng).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.giffenmackdanforth.com for the Milne family.