Obituary of Robert Walter Becksted

Becksted, Robert W. (Bob) Bob was born in Outremont Quebec in 1928 to Walter and Violet Becksted. The family, including Bob's sister Norma, subsequently moved to Montreal where Bob honed his love of languages, both English and French. In 1945 Bob attended North Bay Collegiate and Vocational School (after his father's transfer through the Canadian Pacific Railway); he was quarterback of the high school football team during his senior year. Here Bob met the love of his life, Shirley Willoughby. Bob and Shirley were married in North Bay in 1952, after Bob's 1951 graduation from the University of Toronto's School of Architecture. Bob and Shirley settled in Etobicoke where daughter Karen was born in 1954 and son Scott in 1957. A four generation association with North Bay truly began to take root in 1958 when Bob's parents bought property on the south shore of Trout Lake; Bob and Shirley purchased adjacent land, as did Bob's aunt and uncle, and thus began many years of happy family gatherings involving the Becksted, Willoughby and Kyle families. While there was much hard work involved in building on the rock of the Laurentian Shield, with no road access, there was always time for an "oh be joyful" on the dock and a swim before dinner. In Toronto Bob pursued a successful architectural career and is known for many buildings including the award-winning Seaway Hotel on the west Toronto lakeshore - one of the first modernist hotels in Canada earning a 1955 Massey Silver Medal. Perhaps one of his most satisfying projects was the preservation and restoration of the historic buildings at Upper Canada Village near Morrisburg where the Becksted ancestors settled after emigrating from New England. (The Battle Memorial Building received a Design Award from the Ontario Association of Architects.) One of his most complex and demanding projects was the design of the world-class Etobicoke Olympium, acclaimed as one of the best aquatic facilities in Canada. After Shirley's passing in 1988, Bob re-developed his parents' Trout Lake home which became his permanent residence upon retirement in 1992. Very active in his senior years, Bob continued to share his love of sports with his children and grandchildren - swimming, sailing, canoeing, kayaking and even water skiing, as well as "cruising the blues" at Alpine, Caledon, Laurentian, Mt. Antoine and Big White. He also shared his love of music, art and the natural world, and pursued his interest in history and architecture as a member of the North Bay Municipal Heritage Committee identifying and protecting heritage properties. In 2001, Bob was sadly predeceased by his loving wife Joan (Wray). Bob had a long and wonderful life and touched the lives of many; his immediate family members know how extremely fortunate they are to have had his humour, strength and guidance in their lives for so long. Daughter Karen Cairns (Garry) of Kelowna, B.C. Son Scott Becksted of Georgetown, Ontario Grandchildren Brooke Cairns, Kelowna, B.C.; Christa (Vince) Diot, Calgary, Alberta; Branden Cairns, Victoria, B.C.; Andrea and Brian Becksted, Georgetown, Ontario Great grandsons Lucas and Gavin Diot, Calgary, Alberta