In Memoriam
December 1, 1946 – October 10, 2024
At 10 am on October 10th, 2024 Neil Collishaw passed away peacefully at home. His beloved wife, Barbara, and two of his daughters were by his side.
Neil was the son of Ted (Edward) Collishaw and Ruth (Ross). He grew up in London, Ontario attending Empress Ave. public school, Central Collegiate and the University of Western Ontario. At Western he studied Chemistry and Sociology and earned a Masters degree in Sociology (Demography).
He met his wife Barbara (Varty) early in university. They married in 1968 and raised four children, Kevin (Katharina), Rachel (Craig Shackleton), Mary Ann (Pete Crutchfield), and Laura (Patrick Snider). Two grandchildren completed the family, Beatrix Shackleton and April Collishaw.
He is survived by his five siblings, Jim, John, Marion, Ruth Ann and Ross, and many loving cousins. He spent many summers on Prince Edward Island with his siblings and cousins, helping on the family farms.
After graduation, he and Barbara moved to Ottawa, where he worked for the Association of Canadian Medical Colleges, then Statistics Canada, and then Health Canada, where he embarked on his life’s mission of working for public health and advocating for tobacco control. Next, he worked at the World Health Organization in Geneva for eight years, before returning to Ottawa and working with Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada as their research director.
His work with WHO took him to every corner of the world. He also enjoyed travelling with family and friends. He considered Ottawa his home and enjoyed cross-country skiing in the Gatineau hills, cycling, and spending time at New Bolingbroke Estates at Farren Lake.
He will be missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours, whether near or far.
Almost every Canadian today can tell you that Neil Collishaw’s work has had an impact on their lives. When Neil began his work, around 40% of Canadians smoked. Today, that rate is about 10%. Canadians expect smoke-free workplaces, restaurants, and public places. Even as we will continue to suffer from the epidemics of tobacco-caused cancers, heart disease, and other ills for the next several decades, we can hope that our children and their children will live healthier lives because of the lifelong dedication of Neil Collishaw.
Please join us for a farewell ceremony at Beechwood Cemetery at 10 am on Thursday, October 17th followed by a reception.
Dear Collishaw Family!
Sending our deepest condolences to you all on the loss of Neil!
He leaves you all with wonderful memories of a life well lived. A kind husband, father and grandfather and friend to many.
Love to all,
Donna and Nick Blanchard
Dear Rachel and family, I am so sorry for your loss. Your Dad sounds like an incredible man who made a real difference in the world. I hope you will draw comfort and strength from these memories and from the important legacy he leaves. Thinking of you and sending love.
I’m very saddened to learn of Neil’s passing. We didn’t know each other well, but from all my years working on tobacco control issues, I felt Neil’s enormous presence and tremendous contributions in Canada and globally. I admired all his work, particularly in his partnership with Cynthia Callard at Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. There was a compelling combination of diligence and intellectual strength about everything they did.
I knew Neil was very ill, but it was not that many weeks ago that he wrote me, as he occasionally did, to request a scientific paper he knew I could likely access for him. I know he worked and contributed as long as he could. Although I don’t know you, his family, it was touching and quite wonderful to look through all the family photos you’ve posted. Your love for a husband, father and grandfather is evident and, though the loss is immense, I wish you great comfort in all the loving memories of a true giant of a man.
Great sadness came over our hearts when we heard that Neil passed away this morning. We have been partners with Neil and Barb on a cottage property on Farren Lake. It is called New Bolingbrooke Estates. The partnership has gone on now for 48 years and our families have enjoyed so many good times on the beach and elsewhere.
Neil used to say that NBE is “our little heaven on earth”. He was right!
We will gather at NBE this weekend for our traditional Thanksgiving celebration and we will miss Neil on our little piece of heaven but we know that he will be looking down on us with a big smile when we take the annual photo and gather for our annual general meeting.
We always felt so loved when we were able to visit in Ottawa over the years. You dear cousin Neil will be so missed in the days ahead. Xoxo
Barb, I am so sorry! I had no idea that this was coming. Doug and I send our deepest condolences.
And so the world loses a good man. Deepest condolences from Sascha and I.
I first met Neil back in 1978 or ’79 when we worked on a health promotion study at the Centretown Community Health Centre. He was a wonderful colleague — thoughtful, witty, generous and a larger-than-life presence with his slow manner of speaking that brought wisdom to our meetings. I felt so proud of him in the years that followed as his smoking cessation & prevention career went stratospheric: his stubborn determination and fearless character made a profound contribution to the nation’s health. He was an important presence in our nation and we need more of his ilk.
I collaborated with Neil for several years on tobacco control issues. I admired his dedication and personal sacrifices in advancing tobacco control policies and legislation. Beth and I are saddened by his loss but know that he leaves many great memories to sustain his family, friends and colleagues.
Don collaborated with Neil for several years on tobacco control issues. We admired Neil’s dedication and personal sacrifices in advancing tobacco control policies and legislation. Don and I are saddened by his loss but know that he leaves many great memories to sustain his family, friends and colleagues.
So sorry to hear this sad news. Neil was a well liked colleague and I had the fortune of working with him in collaboration with my position at the University of Ottawa. I will miss him. My heartfelt condolences to his family. Rest in Peace Neil.
A note from Ron Cymbalisty, Yellowknife:
https://collishaw.ca/2024/10/10/condolences-for-the-family/#comment-76
Dear Barb and family: I was so sorry to hear of Neil’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
I first met Neil in the early 2000s as a young researcher beginning her career in the study of social inequities in smoking. Neil was a big, intelligent and warm presence in the tobacco control space, open to multiple points of view and thoughts on the issue of tobacco control. Despite the fact that we did not know each other well, Neil was always welcoming and sought to find a place for somewhat unusual sociological voices, such as my own, in the tobacco control space. I learned much from witndessing both his openness to views and his staunch dedication to the tobacco control struggle. He was an exemplary leader and will be missed.
Deepest condolences to the extended Collishaw family.
With love, The MacDougall-Shackletons
Neil Collishaw, le Friendly Giant de la lutte antitabac, ne jouait pas de la flûte à bec au petit écran, mais jouait en virtuose du clavier de machine à écrire ou de micro-ordinateur.
Neil Collishaw nous écrivait ou nous faisait entendre une longue histoire vraie et sombre pour adultes.
Aux humains horrifiés par l’épidémie de tabagisme, avec son cortège de souffrances et de décès prématurés, notre affable gaillard suggérait par une de ses méthodes de recherche ce que le détective Mark Felt conseilla aux reporters Bob Woodward et Carl Bernstein de faire en 1972 : suivre l’argent.
Le chimiste et sociologue Neil Collishaw avait compris avant bien des fonctionnaires et journalistes que l’épidémie de tabagisme qu’il faut arrêter n’a pas comme vecteur causal un anonyme virus sans plan ou un dragon médiéval à arrêter par une prière d’auto-réglementation, mais des corporations avides de profit, qui paient des belles retraites et achètent des consciences. En suivant la piste économique, le chercheur Collishaw découvrait aussi des gouvernements qui ne savent pas toujours compter.
Une panoplie de mesures ont finalement été prises par les pouvoirs publics dans toutes les provinces et territoires du royaume canadien pour prévenir l’acquisition de la dépendance au tabac, pour protéger les non-fumeurs et pour faciliter l’arrêt tabagique. Des procès ont été intentés contre les cigarettiers.
Aujourd’hui, au Canada et dans plusieurs autres États, le tabac fait de moins en moins d’adeptes et fait moins de victimes. Enfin.
Le grand public respire mieux, même en ignorant complètement ce qu’il doit à Neil Collishaw, qui a été un très influent participant à la lutte de longue haleine pour faire progresser la santé publique sur la planète, et cela sans même avoir besoin de vaccins.
Et Neil réalisait cette œuvre avec le sourire.
Il nous manquera.
I met Neil in the fall of 1979. On contract as health care analyst at the Canadian Council on Social Development I came to his office to discuss policy developments, challenges and prospects for the following decade. Ten minutes in it was obvious Neil was no mere ‘blue suit;’ he exuded integrity, authenticity and unpretentiousness, and it was easy to discern that prevention of health problems and promotion of good health were not only his vocation but his passion. Many years later, because of my friendship with Ray Labrosse, I had time at Farren Lake to get to know, at least a little, what a delightful human being he was. Monique and I extend our condolences to Barb and family. You will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Garth & Monique
We always felt welcomed by Neil and Barb. Such a good man. We are very sorry for your loss, Barb, Laura and Patrick, Rachel and the whole Collishaw family. Hugs from Brad and Karen