By Tempo staff

Alex Paterson, who died in August at the age of 93, was a well known lawyer with particular expertise in marine and medical law. He was perhaps better known as a community man, contributing to the well-being of life in Montreal, Senneville, Murray Bay and of course Knowlton, where he was often seen walking with his wife Joany strolling around town, frequently stopping to chat. Alex was a supporter of St Paul’s Anglican Church and a founder of Theatre Lac Brome.

Contributions to the Eastern Townships

His contributions to the Townships also included chancellorship of Bishop’s University for 10 years beginning in 1995. Alex graduated from Bishop’s in 1952 and went on to earn a law degree at McGill University. He was awarded a Doctor of Civil Law from Bishop’s in 1974, and similarly honoured by McGill.

Early Life and Legal Career

Alexander Kennedy Paterson was born in Montreal on March 7, 1932, to Jean Irvine (nee Kennedy) and Hartland MacDougall Paterson. He attended Selwyn House School in Montreal and then Trinity College School in Ontario. After graduating from McGill law school in 1956, he worked for more than 50 years for law firm Borden Ladner Gervais (and its predecessor firms). He received a plethora of professional and governmental honors, including the Medal of Honour of the Montreal Bar and the Barreau of Quebec’s Advocatus Emeritus. He was a member of the Order of Canada, the Ordre national du Québec and the Order of Montreal.

His obituary in the Montreal Gazette described Alex as “the ‘Confederation Man’ because of his great zeal for Canadian unity, Alex was the champion of minority rights in Quebec and believed in cooperation, rather than separation, between language groups. He co-chaired the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, was the founding chairman of Alliance Quebec and fought for the ‘No’ side in the Quebec referendum, all while wearing his trademark bow ties and sometimes colourful pants.”

Family

Alex was predeceased by Joany in 2023, to whom he was married for 67 years, and his sister Katherine Chafe. He is survived by his children Robb (Heather), Tim (Lynda), Angie (Peter) and Alex (Eva-Lott), as well as eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.