Timothy Clair Stewart, born on April 8, 1940, was the son of Amy (McLean) and Clair Stewart. Best friend and devoted spouse of 54 years to Nalini. Adored father and father-in-law to Tarun (Mindy), Saira (Frank) and Indira (Greg). Cherished grandfather to Malcolm, Rowan, Sebastien, Milo and Daya.
Tim will be lovingly remembered by his twin brother, Mike, and his siblings John, Jim, Mary (Brown) and Andrew, as well as by his many siblings-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins in the Stewart and McLean families. He will also be dearly missed by the Goel and Aggarwal families. He was a calm, reassuring presence at the heart of a large, international family.
Tim had a life-long thirst for travel and adventure. As a sailor, he captained a honeymoon tour of Holland’s waterways for Nalini. In the 1960s, Tim and Mike converted a fisherman’s net house on a remote island in Georgian Bay into a beloved gathering place for family and friends.
In 1974, he drove the getaway car for Mikhail Baryshnikov as he fled the O’Keefe Centre and the KGB, successfully defecting from the Soviet Union. The experience sparked an unexpected interest in ballet, leading Tim to serve on the board of the National Ballet of Canada.
Through his love of Nalini, Tim fell in love with her homeland. In 39 visits to India, he came to call the country his second home. Tim’s many books of wildlife photography from India are treasured by his extended family.
Tim was an environmentalist long before it was a trend. Together with his parents, he restored marginal farmland in Albion Township, planting tens of thousands of trees over a period of 60 years. Tim drew inspiration from the meadows, forests and birds of Caledon and, in turn, inspired a love of nature across generations of his family, and in his larger community. With passion, he documented and photographed bird migrations in Caledon and Georgian Bay for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas.
Tim served on the board of the McLean Foundation for 50 years, as well as on the boards of Canada Packers, the Sierra Club and WWF Canada. Thanks to Tim’s vision, dedication and persuasion, the McLean Foundation supported many national and local efforts to protect green spaces, watersheds and wildlife. Over the last 20 years, he sounded the alarm about climate change, leading to a special focus on this issue at the Foundation.
Tim died peacefully at home of cancer on October 25, 2023. His family is immensely grateful to the medical team at Princess Margaret Hospital for the excellent care he received.
Tim’s dry martinis were legendary. Yours may not compare, but we invite you to raise one in his honour, all the same.
A private family burial will take place next week. A celebration of life will be held on Monday, December 18, 2023 at 3 pm at the Royal Conservatory of Music. In lieu of flowers, please plant a tree, install a heat pump, or do your part to save the planet.