Obituary

Born 27 November 1933 in Toronto; died 1 February 2019 at Wellington Terrace in Elora, Ontario. Ken was an enthusiast for life’s many adventures and opportunities. Love, loyalty, and a quick sense of humour were central to his life. Family was foremost in Ken’s life; he loved and was much beloved by his wife Elizabeth (Liz, nee Chater); their children, Alexandra MacLennan (Eric Edquist), Toronto, and Andrew MacLennan, Elora; his sister, Georgia, and brother, William (Millie), both of whom predeceased him; and many nieces, nephews, sisters- and brothers-in-law. Also dear to Ken were the various dogs who were part of the family over the years. Ken was proud of his Scottish heritage through his father Alexander Kintail MacLennan who emigrated from Scotland and married Ken’s mother, May McCleary, in Toronto. Ken was born and grew up in Toronto, attended Riverdale Collegiate, Victoria College, and OISE, University of Toronto. He taught for the Toronto Board of Education (Oriole Park and Deer Park) and then moved into leadership roles in Special Education, gifted and enrichment. His impact on both students and colleagues was characterized by his patience, kindness, and ability to connect with people. The family lived in King Township where Ken furthered his appetite for collecting “stuff” and restoring antiques – including much fixing up of the 1890’s farmhouse that was the family home for 30 years. Ken retired in 1994 and he and Liz then moved to Elora for the next stage of their lives. His embrace of adventure led the family on camping journeys across Canada and the USA in early years, as well as a year in England as an exchange teacher. Ken & Liz continued their active travels with cycling and sea kayaking holidays in Europe, North and Central America, and in later years shifted to small group tours and river-cruises to explore other parts of the world. Ken revelled in the spontaneity of sports and was intrigued by the world of politics. His loyalty to Toronto’s Maple Leafs and the Blue Jays never flagged. Ken loved music (especially jazz and Frank Sinatra), the CBC, and reading. He was a great supporter of the Elora Festival and embraced the Elora community. Thank you to all the staff at Wellington Terrace for your thoughtfulness and exceptional care over Ken’s final year. A springtime celebration of Ken’s life will be held at the Wellington County Museum and Archives (Aboyne Hall) in Fergus on May 18 at 1:00pm. In Ken’s memory, donations may be made to the Elora Festival (through www.canadahelps.org) or a charity of your choice.