Obituary of Malcolm MacDonald Somerville

Malcolm MacDonald "Mac" Somerville, D. Litt., of Saint John, husband of the late Norma R. (Tedlie) Somerville, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 26, 2012 at Camp Hill Veteran’s Memorial Centre in Halifax. Born at Saint John on June 15, 1921, he was a son of the late Malcolm MacDonald and Mary Freda (Jenkins) Somerville. A graduate of Saint John High School, Mac became involved in his community at a young age with the YMCA of Saint John, where he later became president and was recognized with the Red Triangle Award in 1995. During World War II, he served nearly six years in the Reserves and on active service with the army. Following the war, he worked in the general insurance business, and was a strong advocate for the city of Saint John for many years, for which he was recognized as a Freeman of The City of Saint John in 1983. In 1995, he received the Board of Trade’s President’s Award, and was awarded an Honourary Doctor of Letters Degree from the University of New Brunswick Saint John in 1996 for his contribution to the Faculty of Business and for his recognition of the importance of a university presence in Saint John. In 2002, he received the Queen Elizabeth II 50th Jubilee Medal, and the Saint John Library Merit Award in 2009 following 15 years on the Board of Directors. His involvements in city planning and development, as well as business affairs include: Chairman of the Saint John Urban Renewal Commission, New Brunswick Chairman of The Community Planning Association of Canada, past member of the Canadian Housing Design Council and of The Saint John Planning Commission, President of The Saint John Central Business Development Corporation, President of The Saint John Board of Trade, Vice-Chair Bicentennial Committee, Co-Chair, Saint John Unity Committee and Chair, Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development, and most recently the Saint John College Development Board. In his spare time, Mac enjoyed reading and sailing on the "Banrigh", being a Past Commodore of the Royal Kennebecassis Yacht Club, but his true passion was his love for his family, especially his grandchildren for whom he always had words of wisdom and encouragement and surrounded them with his love. Mac is survived by his daughters, Anne Cronshaw (Brad) of Halifax and Meredith Somerville of Bedford, NS; grandchildren Caroline Cronshaw, Sarah Cronshaw, John Baxter, and Emily Baxter; a brother, Graeme Somerville (Catherine) of Saint John; his sister, Aileen Smith of St. Andrews; and several nieces and nephews in New Brunswick and the United States. In addition to his wife, Mac was predeceased by his son, Malcolm M. Somerville Jr. in 2005. Resting at Brenan's Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John (634-7424), with visiting on Friday, November 2, 2012, from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. The Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 1:00 PM from Brenan’s Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will take place in Greenwood Cemetery. For those who wish, remembrances to the Salvation Army, the Dr. Malcolm M. Somerville Bursary Fund through the Greater Saint John Community Foundation, or to any charity of the donor’s choice would be appreciated by the family. Online condolences and remembrances may be placed at www.BrenansFH.com.