Obituaries


  • IN PASSING: Nick Troubetzkoy – a Caribbean-Canadian hotel giant
    by Staff - The travel industry is mourning the passing of noted Saint Lucian hotelier, developer and visionary Nick Troubetzkoy during a recent visit to London. Raised in western Canada, Troubetzkoy’s many notable accomplishments included building Anse Chastanet and the renowned Jade Mountain resorts.

  • ‘THE GREATEST PILOT THAT’S EVER LIVED’: Remembering co-pilot of historic round-the-world flight
    by Staff - Burt Rutan was alarmed to see the plane he had designed was so loaded with fuel that the wing tips started dragging along the ground as it taxied down the runway. He grabbed the radio to warn the pilot, his older brother Dick Rutan. But Dick never heard the message. Nine days and three minutes later, Dick, along with copilot Jeana Yeager, completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refuelling.

  • LAST FLIGHT: Legendary ‘long-serving’ flight attendant Bette Nash dies at 88
    by Staff - Bette Nash, recognized as the world's longest-serving flight attendant, has died. She was 88.

  • TRAVEL PIONEER: David Collett, P. Lawson Travel
    by Staff - The Canadian travel industry is celebrating the life of an important early figure: David William Collett, who died recently at the age of 93. Collett was an executive at P. Lawson Travel and also served as Skal Toronto president in 1982. The following obituary, including remembrance service details, appeared in the Toronto Star on Saturday.

  • LISTENING IN: Remembering Jimmy Buffett – the ‘life of the party’
    by Staff - Jimmy Buffett celebrated slackers before the word existed, even though he was hardly one himself. “Wastin’ away again in Margaritaville,” went the chorus to his most famous song, which became an international singalong. But you’ve probably heard that song by now, so we’ve got something else in mind for this week’s video.

  • COURAGE, STRENGTH AND GRACE: Jill Stewart
    by Staff - Condolences from the travel world and beyond are pouring in for Jill Stewart, the wife of Sandals Resorts executive chairman Adam Stewart, who died after a year-long battle with cancer. The Stewarts were married for 14 years and shared three children.

  • LISTENING IN: Remembering Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’
    by Staff - Tina Turner was an unstoppable singer and stage performer who teamed with husband Ike Turner for a dynamic run of hit records and live shows in the 1960s and ’70s surviving her horrifying marriage to triumph in middle age with a string of hits, including the chart-topping “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” Dubbed the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Turner died at her home in Switzerland this week after a long illness at age 83.

  • THE MINSTREL OF THE DAWN: Gordon Lightfoot
    by Jen Savedra - Like a great many Canadians I was saddened by the news of Gordon Lightfoot’s death last week. I bought his first album ‘Lightfoot’ when it was released in 1966 mainly because he was related to a friend and I thought he was cute. However, while the Lightfoot look was attractive, the Lightfoot sound hooked me. I bought all the albums as they were released and headed off to hear him live at Yorkville’s famous Riverboat Café in Toronto. What you may not know however, is that way back in those pre-album days, Lightfoot had a strong connection to an early travel industry founder.

  • MIKE HANNAH: A loss to the industry
    by Staff - Mike Hannah had a long and distinguished career in travel. He wa s a senior executive at P.Lawson Travel, Sears Travel and President of UFTA. He was a longtime highly valued member of the Skal Toronto Club and a member of the executive board. He was a familiar presence at the monthly meetings and his experience and expertise proved invaluable over the years.

  • RON HARDING: Travel Industry Pioneer
    by Jen Savedra - Ron Harding was one of the founders of this industry and was well known, well liked and well respected long after he retired in the late nineties. Ron died February 28, 2022, at the age of 84 at Collingwood Hospital after an accident at his home.

  • HARRY STEELE: Canadian aviation pioneer
    by Staff - Harold Raymond “Harry” Steele has died in St. John’s at 92. Steele was an old school entrepreneur, who believed in doing what you said you’d do, when you said you’d do it. His mantra was, “If there was a problem, it had to be fixed, no excuses.”

  • THE CARIBBEAN REMEMBERS: Dr. Jean Holder, former CTO Secretary General
    by Staff - In a statement The Caribbean Tourism Organization said it joins the rest of the Caribbean in mourning the loss of Dr. Jean Holder, the father of regional tourism development. Dr. Holder spent more than 30 years of his professional life leading the development and expansion of the sector that would become the region’s main foreign exchange earner and the engine of economic growth.

  • FRANK DENNIS
    by Staff - Popular industry executive Frank V. Dennis died January 15. Prior to joining Uniglobe, Frank enjoyed a successful career in the food industry in many capacities such as Senior VP, Canada Packers and President of Del Monte Foods. He purchased and owned the franchise rights to the Uniglobe Eastern Canada Region from 1991 to 2016.

  • ALL THAT JAZZ: The life and times of Sandra Jaffe
    by Michael Baginski - I never knew, met, nor (I confess) was even aware of Sandra Jaffe, but in hindsight the remarkable woman has without a doubt played an influential, unexpected role in my life. Jaffe, after all, was co-founder of Preservation Hall in New Orleans, an iconic institution that I have previously proclaimed my favourite place on the planet.

  • LEGENDARY TRAVEL WRITER TAKES FINAL JOURNEY
    by Staff - Legendary Czech travel writer Miroslav Zikmund has died. He was 102. The museum in the eastern city of Zlin, where Zikmund had lived, announced his death in a statement, saying he recently “left for his final journey.” Details were not given.

  • REMEMBERING JOHN MCKENNA
    by Staff - John McKenna, an icon of the travel insurance sector, died on Nov. 27. McKenna began his travel career at Air France, and then moved to Voyageur Travel Insurance where he served as president prior to its purchase by the Royal Bank of Canada. His career culminated as vice chairman of the board of directors of the RBC Insurance Group.

  • BERNIE RICKMAN, 1945-2021: Former JTB manager, Canada
    by Staff - The Jamaica Tourist Board reported the recent death of tourism stalwart Bernard “Bernie” Rickman, former Deputy Director of Tourism, Overseas Administration for the JTB. During his 20-year tenure with the JTB, Rickman was deeply committed to developing the organization in Canada and positioning Jamaica as a leading tourism destination within the market.

  • A MENTOR, A VISIONARY, A TRUE LEADER: Angus Kinnear, the best boss
    by Staff - Angus Kinnear died last week. The former co-founder and CEO of Canada 3000 Airlines was a pivotal figure in Canadian travel, tourism and aviation. He was far from your typical CEO. A tall angular figure, Kinnear could be found striding through Toronto’s Pearson International Airport late at night, or before dawn, often at the aircraft door checking his watch to ensure his flights were ‘pushing back’ on schedule. Employees of the carrier were in awe of ‘AJK’ but proud to follow the professional, passionate, pace he set.

  • STANLEY TOLLMAN: Remembering an industry icon
    by Staff - Stanley Tollman, who built a travel empire and opened the first The Travel Corporation (TTC) office in Canada in 1968, died last week at the age of 91 following a battle with cancer. Celebrated as one of the architects of the global tourism industry and a devoted philanthropist, Tollman was chairman of TTC, which celebrated its centenary in 2020.

  • LISTENING IN: Sad Sad Sad
    by Michael Baginski - You’ve likely heard by now of the death this week of Charlie Watts, the self-effacing and unshakeable Rolling Stones drummer who helped anchor one of rock's greatest rhythm sections but used his “day job” to support his enduring love of jazz until his death this week at age 80.