Ross Oborne

After 97 wonderful years, J. Ross Oborne passed away peacefully in Ottawa on June 28th, 2013, predeceased by his wife of 64 years Bette. Ross leaves behind children, Jim (Winnipeg), David (Toronto), Lynn (Montreal) as well as grandchildren Bryan, Jennifer, James, Elizabeth, John, Tracy, Michael, David, Jennifer, Carolyn and 21 great grandchildren.

Born in Toronto July 1, 1915 and a graduate of Oakwood Collegiate, Ross started his investment career with Nesbitt Thomson in 1934. Like so many other young men of his generation, he joined the RCAF in 1939. Decommissioned as an officer, he resumed his working life with Nesbitt in 1946 where he remained until retirement in 1975. Known as the "Silver Fox" by his competitors, Ross worked as a retail salesman, branch and provincial manager in Toronto, and then moved to head office in Montreal in 1960. There he excelled as National Sales Manager, and Senior Vice President of administration. During this period, he worked as an advisor for the World Bank, put together sponsors for the United Nations pavilion at Expo '67, and led the recruitment across Canada for the historic 78th Fraser Highlanders regiment.

Outside of work, his energy, organization and leadership qualities assisted many societies including the Order of St. Lazarus, United Empire Loyalists, the St. Andrews Society and the Heraldry Society of Canada. He was a member of the National Club, the Mount Royal Club and the Royal Montreal Curling Club. Ross knew how to live life to its fullest in Ottawa in retirement, Skootamatta Lake during the summer, or Mexico and St Pete's Beach for his winter vacations. He was extremely busy with his hobbies – family genealogy, Indian folklore, oil painting, carving Indian masks, collecting arms, blown glass and glass insulators, as well as building cottages.

Warm, kind, gracious and thoughtful, Ross had a genuine interest in talking to people of all walks of life. Some say you measure the success of a man's life by the amount of wealth you accumulate. Ross measured his life through the number of people whose lives he touched. He will be missed by many people across the country.