Passed away in Ottawa on October 13th, 2022. Ken was born in Ottawa in 1930. He was the son of Margaret Maclean and Gordon Maclaren. He is predeceased by his wife Mary Chisholm and son Gordon Maclaren. Ken was much loved by his sister Margot Watt and her family, his children Janet (Steve Dent), Wendy, and Alec, and by his grandchildren James (Anabel Hallewell), Andrew, Alexandra, and Margot Dent.
Ken was keenly interested in history, politics, the economy and progressive social issues. He was forever learning, debating, and contributing. Whether listening to CBC radio, reading his daily stack of newspapers, writing letters to the editor, or engaging in discussions, he was ever hopeful that the world’s problems could be solved. He was fortunate to combine these interests with his studies at Dalhousie, as a lawyer in Ottawa, and later as a lobbyist supporting the Canadian Trucking Association.
Ken’s close relationships and joys for life were many. He was a warm, kind man with a welcoming heart and a great sense of play. Ken met Mary at Dalhousie where they fell in love and shared many adventures around her home province of Nova Scotia. He loved spending time with his sister Margot and the Watt family at Grand Lake where a morning in the garden and an afternoon playing with his kids on the ‘tippy raft’ followed by a long swim and scotch on the dock constituted a perfect day. An ideal day in Mahone Bay would include regaling friends with stories and laughter over a bowl of clam chowder after ‘dipping his toe in the Atlantic’ at Hirtles Beach. On his visits to his grandchildren in Toronto he took every opportunity to wrestle with them and use his favorite ‘rumble bumble’ move, just as he had done with his four children a generation before. He figured out early that if you have a lot of love to share you should have a cat and he welcomed many into the family over the years.
Alec, Wendy, and Janet are deeply grateful for the support and love Dad received from many wonderful caregivers and in particular for Carlene Miller who brightened his every day.
Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on Saturday, October 29th at 10 am at Beechwood Cemetery, 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa.
We send our heartfelt condolences to the Maclaren and Watt families. To Janet, who inherited much of her dad's intellectual curiosities and loving ways, we know how difficult a time this is and we send you much love.