Garfield Clack

CLACK, Garfield
Economist, Labour Canada (Ret'd 1991)
July 21, 1931 - April 20, 2014

Garfield passed away at home with dignity and serenity, surrounded by the love and support of his family, after a decline in his health following the onset of acute leukemia. He will be missed by his special friend Marjorie Murphy, by his son Rolf (Carolyn) and his daughter Karen (Doug), his grandchildren Duncan and Gillian, and Paul, as well as his sister Moira. He is predeceased by father Gerald Stanley Clack and mother Victoria May (nee Beswick), brothers Basil and Edison. Garfield was born and grew up in Johannesburg, moved to England with his wife and two children in 1959 where he obtained his PhD in Industrial Relations in 1962 from the London School of Economics. He was a Research Officer in Cambridge prior to moving to Canada in 1967 and beginning his career with Labour Canada. He and his wife Catherine separated in 1993. He was known for the intensity with which he pursued his hobbies, each lasting about 10-15 years, and included fitness sports, wood turning, and notably his detailed work with genealogy (charting to the early 1700s and writing many detailed stories of his ancestors), guitar building (four classical guitars from Ramirez blueprints); and scuba diving (logging over 750 dives mostly on shipwrecks in the St. Lawrence Seaway). He ran 13 marathons between 1983 - 90, however a recurrent back injury forced him to stop running in ‘93. He often placed in his age category in various biathlon and triathlon events, and earned the "Johnson Award" (four Ottawa Marathons in one year) annually from 1986 to 1989. He was a recipient of the Gold Coureur du Bois (160 km Canadian Ski Marathon) in 1986. He competed in Canoe Marathons in one of two cedar strip canoes he built himself. Even into his 80s he continued cross-country skiing and cycling, somehow managing to average about 8,000 - 9,000 km of cycling each year until 2013 when his illness started to seriously sap his energy. Throughout his life he was an avid reader and appreciated and enjoyed listening to classical music. Garfield was a charming and eccentric personality, well known to the Champlain Park neighborhood where he lived for 20 years. He didn't own a car, and was a frequent customer at local businesses and particularly attached to The Wellington Diner. The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Doctors Grace Wu and Howard Cohen, to CCAC, St. Elizabeth Health Care, and WeCare for their professionalism and direct approach in caring for Garfield. As per his wishes, cremation has taken place and a joyous non-religious celebration of his life will be held. (The celebration will take place in July. For more information, please e-mail garfclack@gmail.com.) In lieu of flowers a donation in Garfield's memory to the Ottawa Humane Society would be appreciated.