By Fred Lagan
Rob Paterson, who has died at the age of 75, was a key volunteer at Tempo for 13 years, and was remarkably active in the community for a relative newcomer, everything from the rowing club to Dunham House.
Rob and his wife Robin arrived in Knowlton 15 years ago to be close to their daughter Hope, son-in-law Charlie Scott and their two grandchildren, Sofia and Alfie, as well as their son James and his family in Montreal.
Robert Charles Paterson was born on June 25, 1950, in Montreal, but moved to England with his family when he was four. His father James worked for Alcan, his mother Rosalie Ballantyne was active keeping the household together through many moves, including one to Ghana in West Africa.
“The years in Africa were the best time of our family life,” said Rob.
In England, Rob went to boarding schools, including Harrow, the school Winston Churchill went to.
“It’s the reason I sound so English,” said Rob of his lifelong British accent.
He went to Oxford University and then worked for a diamond company in Africa. He worked for CIBC and for its subsidiary Wood Gundy, in Montreal then London where he handled accounts from the Middle East, and then in Toronto. He left banking and retired first to Prince Edward Island, where he ran his own consultancy.
A Community Builder in Knowlton
When Rob and Robin moved to Knowlton in 2010, he became involved with many organizations. At Tempo, he was an invaluable addition. As well as writing articles, he ran the paper’s online presence, a task that demanded patience and a knowledge of the workings of the Internet.
Rob wrote a blog and published eleven books on Amazon, including historical fiction and a history of Montreal in the First World War. He volunteered at the Literary Festival for several years. Rob was working on a history of the Roman Emperor Vespasian when he died.
Along with Tempo, Rob’s most active local work was with the rowing club, Aviron Knowlton.
“We took it from nothing to an established rowing club,” said Rob.
A Life Well Lived
During his illness, he was amazingly positive.
“I was lucky to be shaped by the big cultural shifts in society,” he said.
Rob died at home on Wednesday, August 20. He is survived by his wife Robin, his son James, daughter Hope, and four grandchildren.
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