Obituary

“The elder statesman of Canadian Insurance Journalism, joined Canadian Underwriter as an assistant editor in 1952. What was to be a short stay between newspaper jobs ended up as a 33 year stint, 25 of it as managing editor. The reason? He became hooked on the insurance industry, its problems and its people.”

KENNETH E. “KEN” MacLEOD (1922-1999)

Canadian Underwriter Magazine regrets to announce that former managing editor Ken MacLeod has passed away, after a long illness, on April 29. MacLeod joined Canadian Underwriter, after working as a reporter at the Kirkland Lake Daily News and the Regina Leader Post, in 1952. He became managing editor in 1960, a tenure that lasted 25 years until his retirement in 1985. MacLeod was honoured at retirement by the Insurance Institute of Canada with the establishment of the Ken MacLeod Prize which is awarded annually to the top first year student in the Institute’s professional insurance education program. MacLeod graduated from Carleton University with a bachelor in journalism in 1951 before which he served in the Canadian Army during World War II, taking part in the Italian and Northwest campaigns, including the liberation of the Netherlands. Ken leaves his wife of more than 50 years, Claire, and four children, Heather Adams of Simcoe, Ont., Catherine Sywulsky of Whitehorse, and John and Duncan of Toronto, and five grandchildren. He is buried in Bethel Church Cemetery in Haliburton Highlands where he made his home after retirement. Donations in Ken’s honour can be made to the Highlands Health Service Foundation. Canadian Underwriter mourns his passing.