Perspectives Newsletter Summer 2023
Vol. 45, no. 4 / Posted on September 25, 2023

J. Brian McQuitty died peacefully at Saanich Peninsula Hospice. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 61 years, Melody, in 2016. Brian was loving father of Shaun (Sarah), Mark (Nikki), and Neil (Beverley), and grandfather of Conor and Gemma.

Growing up in a rural community in Northern Ireland created Brian's lifelong interest in agriculture. After high school, he attended Greenmount Agricultural College in County Antrim, followed by The Queen's University Belfast where he received a Bachelor of Agriculture in 1953. Brian later was awarded a Kellogg's Foundation fellowship at Michigan State University and received a MSc in Agricultural Mechanics in 1959.

In Northern Ireland Brian was employed as a government district agriculturist and as a farm manager. The family emigrated to Canada in 1966 when he accepted an offer to teach Agricultural Engineering at the University of Alberta. Brian earned the rank of professor and then served in administrative positions including Associate Vice President Facilities and Services. He retired as Professor Emeritus from the University of Alberta in 1990 and moved to the Saanich Peninsula.

Brian and his family thank Bayshore Healthcare and Island Health, with special mention to Cheri at Bayshore and Sarah RN at the Peninsula Health Unit.

McQuitty was a member of the CSBE since 1959, he was very proud of his long association with CSBE according to his son Neil, and received three awards: John Turnbull (1977), Maple Leaf (1988) and Fellow (2002).

Full obituary