Hugh Roderick (Rod) McNairnay
January 31, 1948 - June 30, 2024
In Loving Memory
Hugh Roderick (Rod) McNairnay
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of Hugh Roderick (Rod) McNairnay. As was his wish, Rod passed away peacefully and with dignity at his home on June 30, 2024, surrounded by his family and his little dog, Benny, listening to his favourite music.
He is survived by Georgina, his loving wife of 34 years, and daughters, Morag (Rue Smith), Moira, Candace (Gerry) Fischer and grandchildren Charlie, Eric and Amanda.
Left to remember his life are brother, Ian (Gail) McNairnay, sister Marion Ottmann (Larry) and brother Neil (Bev) McNairnay, along with nephews and nieces.
Rod was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba, on January 31, 1948, to Hugh and Ruth McNairnay. The family moved to Calgary where he finished high school and that fall enrolled in Renewable Resources Technology in Saskatoon. Prior to graduation, he was hired by the federal Department of Fisheries in the Pacific Region and was posted to Whitehorse, Yukon. Further postings were to Victoria, Kitimat, Bella Bella, Bella Coola and Rivers Inlet. Rod left Fisheries to build a log house in the Salmon Arm area and with the help of his friends and family realized his dream home. He took pride in this accomplishment and it was his sanctuary and his happy place.
Rod returned to Fisheries on contract working out of the Regional office in Vancouver, developing Fisheries Management Strategies for the Pacific Region, and was once again able to travel the coast.
Rod was an interesting and intellectual man with many interests and talents. Over the years he learned to play the bag pipes and belonged to various pipe bands; acquired a small aircraft pilot licence; taught himself jewellery making and engraving and made many beautiful items for his loved ones; was a skilled handyman, renowned for his ability to fix or make anything and who loved projects and helping others.
Family was extremely important to Rod and he was very interested in his family history. His uncle worked for the T. Eaton Company as a delivery man with a horse drawn wagon. Rod decided to build a working replica of the wagon, and with a minimum of tools, a lot of ingenuity, much hard work and many hours, he completed this project.
Rod was a member of the Masonic Lodge and served a term as Worshipful Master of the Spallumcheen Masonic Lodge #13 in Armstrong.
Rod is probably best remembered for his cartoons as he was a gifted and prolific cartoonist and artist. He created a character that he called “The Inspector” who regularly appeared in many of his drawings. He had a quirky way of looking at life and putting his observations into cartoon form. His cartoons are often recalled by many of his former colleagues and friends within the “old” Fisheries Department. A great number have collected his cartoons. Many, especially his limited edition Pen and Ink drawings of the FPC’s Laurier and Howay, will live on in perpetuity, and are proudly framed and displayed in many of Rod’s former colleagues homes.
He loved to cook and one of his favourite pastimes in preparation for Christmas was getting together with his daughter Morag making “mealy puddins”. They were always determining if it was a “good batch of puds” and if the salt was right. A full day of fun.
On the serious side, he was an avid reader, with a special interest in history, a tireless researcher on his topics of interest, and yet maintained a wonderful sense of humour and love for fun.
The loss of Rod will be felt by many. A friend summed Rod up thusly: “He was much loved for his irrepressible humour, creativity and determination to colour outside the lines.” His was a life well lived.
Many thanks to the wonderful care aides who tended so carefully to Rod and who took such good care of him in the final weeks of his life.
At his request, Rod will be cremated and the ashes interred in the family plot at the Armstrong Cemetery. In keeping with Rod’s wishes, there will be no service.
Arrangements entrusted to
Cypress Funeral & Cremation Services 250-546-7237
Condolences may be expressed to the family by phone or email through Cypress Funeral & Cremation Services:
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Comments: 10
To family and friends,
I was a fishery officer for 35 years. My first field work was in 1977 in Rivers Inlet, Bella Coola and Bella Bella. where I had the pleasure of meeting and working for Hugh. He made a lasting impression on me and I was saddened when he left DFO. I shared his interest in history and passion for fisheries work. I contacted Hugh occasionally and marvelled at his cartoon work and engaging conversations. He even made a couple of custom cartoons for me after I called him with an idea for an inappropriate cartoon. I contacted him when I wrote my first book, “Poachers, Polluters and Politics.” I often challenged the status quo in DFO as did Hugh.
I truly hope his Inspector painting in the central coast will live on forever, just like the Alex Mackenzie “grafitti” nearby.
Rod or Hugh, as we knew him in fish world, brought extraordinary gifts to those of us who had the opportunity to work with and laugh with him. He could bring humour (sometimes appallingly rude) along with dignity and pride to both the everyday and yet to grease the wheels of great projects. A strange mix, you might think, but none of us whom he touched will think it odd. He was a remarkable man, married to a remarkable woman with whom we share our sorrow at his loss.
Our sincere sympathy to all of Rod’s family.
We knew Rod through our brother-in-law and Rod’s brother Neil. Many years ago, my dad would often go out to Rod’s acreage in the summertime with Neil, Bev and girls to spend time. Those were certainly happy times for Dad. A good friendship was formed and Dad always had great stories of staying out at Brown Acres. Thankyou Rod for giving my dad all of those wonderful memories! RIP ❤️
I never really new Rod, but I know that I bumped into him a few times through work and I knew of his cartoons. I am one of the lucky ones who was immortalized in his cartoon work, where he captured a scene where I was inspecting crabs at a fish store on Knight Street in Vancouver. A crab managed to grab hold of one of my fingers as i was measuring another one and Rod portrayed me with the crab hanging onto one of my fingers and my nose while a cartoon of FO. Max Tscharre and the “Inspector” stood by watching me in pain. The inscription at the bottom of the images states, “At least it didn’t grab him by the nuts”. Without that cartoon, I would have most probably have forgotten the event, and now when ever I see the cartoon, the event comes bouncing back to me and I laugh. Thank you Rod for capturing a moment in my career and making me laugh. May you rest in peace.
Our hugs and tears go out to you all. Let the memories and love help to fill the void in your hearts❤️
To Moira and Morag:
The loss of a father is one of the most difficult things to go through. I hope your find that your memories of him are a comfort to you. I never met him, but his write-up shows what an interesting and talented man he must have been. So sorry for your loss.
Incredibly sad to hear of Hugh’s passing and sincerest condolences to his family.
I very fondly remember many moments we shared in Bella Bella. Hugh in the mid 1980’s was doing a contract for Fisheries that led to a watershed moment in managing the local salmon. The compilation of 30 years of data allowed me to reorganize and document the management strategies in that area to the benefit and conservation of the local stocks.
I remember taking Hugh and his young daughters Morag and Moira on a cruise into Queens Sound in the “Little Surge” where they released two sealed pop bottles, complete with their notes.
I will always remember Hugh playing his bag pipes on the pier on a calm quiet evening where the unique sounds would carry to the Heiltsuk village across the channel. Hugh was walking the pier playing, his glass of scotch at one end, and my young son Matthew marching behind him.
The proliferation of cartoons that had so much to say, in his quirky style, were free flowing from an astute slightly bent mind, while his renditions of fishing and Fisheries vessels also became cherished by so many of us.
Hugh touched many and will always be fondly remembered.
i was very sad when i heard Hugh passed on i worked with Hugh many times on the herring fishery and always enjoyed his company as well as his sense of humour. So often his cartoons highlighted the foibles of DFO and many of the characters who worked in DFO over the years. i have several of his cartoons in my collection as well as signed copies of his Laurier and Howay both of which I sailed on. it’s a great loss for all of us that knew. worked and sailed with.
I started with the Department in 1984 in Bella Bella. Hugh spent a fair bit of time there that year and was a focal point for many a laugh. He was a great mentor for me and I know for many others. I marvelled at his penmanship and later observing his craftsmanship with many of his projects. He positively impacted many people in his DFO days. Thank you Hugh for your laughs, guidance, camaraderie, cartoons and the love you spread to your family and friends.
I first met Hugh during the Herring monitoring on the central coast when I was Engineer aboard the FPV Surge Rock. (1974) When he became the Fishery Officer, in Bella Bella myself and the rest of the crew(s) became close. He was a pure delight to work with and for. When I married in 1976 and was away working aboard Surge Rock and we were between Captains, Hugh granted me to have my wife, Claire, fly up and we were able to have a very brief “honeymoon” there. We returned later that year, at New Years and had a wonderful week with them.
Oh! Hugh’s cartoons!! I have so many, most of which could never, ever be considered for publication!!! However, his FPV Howay and FPV Laurier limited edition drawings (88/200) are proudly displayed in my Den. (I had the honour to be the very last Chief Engineer for the Fisheries Dept. aboard both vessels).
One time, when my wife and I were travelling back from Calgary, we stopped by to visit Hugh who at that time was just beginning to build that wonderful log home near Enderby. The family were living in a small trailer on the property. It happened to be Claire’s birthday and Hugh, along with his brother Neil, managed to “compile” a cake (of sorts) out of cookies and with an appropriate quantity of lit matches on it! Neil broke out his guitar and we all sang Happy Birthday! My dear Claire never forgot that moment the rest of her life. She treasured the photo of her sitting there holding the “cake” with little Moira and Morag.
Hugh, in his relatively short time with Fisheries has become something of a Legend, and rightly so. I can only hope that his “Inspector” can remain proudly displayed on Mesachie Nose in Burke Channel.
My most sincere condolences to Moira, Morag, Georgina and the rest of his family. Your grief will eventually subside and all the fond memories of Rod (Hugh) will remain with you,…. as it will with me.
Hugh (Rod), may you forever rest in peace and continue to provide you good humour to all those that have known you and gone before.