Jim Shaw, 60, on Jan. 3, after a brief illness. A colourful, Harley-riding maverick who avoided wearing business suits, Shaw initially resisted joining the family business, dropping out of university and trying several small business ventures before joining Shaw Communications in 1982. He started out installing set-top boxes, rising through the ranks to eventually become CEO in 1998. Under his tenure, Shaw acquired various cable competitors including Moffatt Communications, launched internet-based phone service, and led a hostile takeover of WIC (Western International Communications), which resulted in Shaw acquiring a number of radio and television properties that eventually became Corus Entertainment. Shaw went on to acquire the broadcast assets of bankrupt Canwest-Global Communications in 2010. He stepped down as CEO in 2010, making way for younger brother Brad to take over. Among the numerous boards Shaw served on over the years, he chaired the Canadian Cable Television Association for six years.
Ralph Noseworthy, 81, on Dec. 26, after suffering a heart attack. Born in Sydney, NS, Noseworthy was a professional diver and participated in the excavation of the historic Fortress of Louisbourg, before moving to Quebec City and becoming a journalist. He worked for the Chronicle-Telegraph, UPI news service, CJMF-FM Quebec City and CFOX-AM Montreal, before joining CFCF-12. The longtime Pulse News reporter covered Quebec’s National Assembly for nearly two decades, earning him the nickname Ralph “Newsworthy” and a reputation for never taking no for an answer. Always looking for a scoop, Noseworthy ultimately triggered early reading of Quebec’s budget in 1987 after taping together a shredded copy he found in the trash. Later in his career, he was reassigned to Montreal, where he hosted consumer affairs show Action 12.
Robert Charles (Bob) Dawson, 85, on Dec. 10. Dawson played for the Hamilton Tiger Cats from 1953-59, winning Grey Cups in 1953 and 1957, before going on to coach the Burlington Braves and McMaster Marauders from 1961-65. Following his football career, he was vice-president of sales at CHCH-TV Hamilton and then co-owner of Alexander, Pearson and Dawson National Television Sales Organization. Dawson also taught Advertising and Media at Mohawk College.
Doug Kirby, 67, on Dec. 15. Kirby graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design with a degree in Fine Arts, before starting a four-decade career with CBC Nova Scotia. In his role as a media librarian and archivist, Kirby worked on numerous programs including CBC’s Land and Sea. For the last two years, Kirby had been working on the development of a private media venture which he called 01IVE Media File Brokers.
Gary Connors, 65, on Dec. 16 of lung cancer. Connors began his career in radio as a reporter for CKJD-AM Sarnia in 1972 and then spent 14 years on CHOK-AM/FM Sarnia. Diagnosed with lung cancer in 2014, Connors continued as a DJ at The Eagle 107.7 FM (CKTI-FM) at Kettle & Stony Point First Nation, where he worked every Saturday right up until Dec. 2, 2017. The Ipperwash resident was also an avid motorcycle drag racer and musician, volunteering his time and talents for many fundraisers.
Richard (Dick) Orkin, 84, on Dec. 24. An award-winning voice actor and commercial radio producer, Orkin created the Chickenman radio series, which ran in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s. Originating from WCFL Chicago, the show was syndicated to Canadian radio stations and aired on Armed Forces Radio during the Vietnam War. Orkin was an inductee of the National Radio Hall of Fame, the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, the Illinois Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Radio Advertising Bureau Hall of Fame. Orkin wrote to the NAB in 2010 asking that his name be removed from the Hall, because he did not wish to share the honour with radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh.
Roman Stoyko, 83, on Dec. 19. While Stoyko studied plumbing and electrical courses, in his younger years he performed with the Rusalka dancers and Royal Winnipeg Ballet, including many performances at Rainbow Stage. He later joined CBC working on costume/set design and puppeteering, eventually working his way up to producer. Stoyko toured Canada with the Hymn Sing program, in addition to working on many other productions including Winnipeg Jets and Blue Bombers broadcasts.
Sarah LaLumiere, 60, Dec. 14. LaLumiere spent her early years in Ottawa, London, England, and Tanzania before embarking on a career as a television tech with CBC Ottawa. One of her professional highlights was her years spent as an editor on folksy television series On The Road Again, hosted by Wayne Rostad. LaLumiere’s editing work on CBC Ottawa’s 2013 series Fetanyl: Fatal Addiction, earned her an award from the Canadian Medical Association.
Bruce Gray, 81, on Dec. 13, of brain cancer. Born in Puerto Rico to Canadian parents, Gray graduated from the University of Toronto with a master’s degree in psychology before getting into modelling and acting, moving to Hollywood in 1980. He was best known to Canadian audiences for his portrayal of investment banker Adam Cunningham on Traders (for which he earned a Gemini Award for Best Actor), the father of the groom in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and the ghost of Joe’s father on Medium. Over the years he appeared on Beverly Hills 90210, Chicago Hope, Murphy Brown, Melrose Place, ER, Picket Fences, Queer As Folk and Murder She Wrote. On film, Gray played opposite Carol Burnett in Between Friends, For the Boys, The Peacemaker and Spy Hard. He was seen at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival in the Canadian film Don’t Talk to Irene, in which he played a reluctant nursing home resident who joins a seniors’ cheerleading troupe.
Bob Crowe, 62, on Dec. 15. Crowe was a lawyer who left a successful practice to work in the film industry. Co-owner of Angel Entertainment and Bamboo Shoots, Crowe worked on everything from feature films to TV series, commercials and live events. He and his producing partner of 17 years, Wally Start were behind series like Rabbit Fall and The Other Side. A cheerleader for Saskatchewan’s film industry, he also served on committees and the boards of industry organizations like the Canada Media Fund, SaskCulture, Canadian Media Production Association and SMPIA.
Heather Menzies-Urich, 68, on Dec. 24, in Frankford, ON of brain cancer. Menzies-Urich was best known for playing Louisa von Trapp, the third-oldest of the singing von Trapp children in the 1965 film adaptation of “The Sound of Music.” A Toronto native, Menzies-Urich also appeared in the films “Hawaii” and “Piranha.” On television, she appeared as a fugitive in “Logan’s Run” and had guest spots on “Dragnet,” “Bonanza,” “Marcus Welby, M.D.” and other series. Her husband, actor Robert Urich, died in 2002. After his death, she established the Robert Urich Foundation to raise funds for cancer research.
Len Rowcliffe, 88, on Dec. 19. A native of Montreal, Rowcliffe was one of the first helicopter traffic reporters on CJAD AM 800 Montreal in the 1960s and early 70s, a role captured in the 1972 National Film Board short Trafficopter. He went on to work at CFMS-FM Victoria during the 1980s and then CFAX-AM Victoria in the 1990s where he hosted nostalgia music program Sentimental Journey weeknights, as well as a Sunday morning call-in garden show.
