A retired RCMP officer has been identified as the man killed by a fallen tree on a golf course in western Ottawa last Saturday when a deadly windstorm hit the region.
Ian Fraser was at the Canadian Golf and Country Club near Highway 7 and Dwyer Hill Road when he was killed. He was 60 years old.
On Sunday, Ottawa police said they were investigating the death of a man who was hit by a tree on 7800 Golf Club Way.
At least 10 more people died on May 21 when the storm swept through Ontario and Quebec, and another person died the next day from a branch of a fallen tree.
According to an obituary at a Charlottetown funeral home, Fraser was originally from Prince Edward Island. His parents preceded him and his brother Wayne “remembers him fondly,” according to the obituary.
Friends and former co-workers shared dozens of messages of condolence, remembering Fraser as a kind person passionate about golf and staying fit.
The obituary states that he worked with the RCMP and had a career with “varied” experiences and positions.
The RCMP confirmed that Fraser was a retired member and had been working as an analyst in Ottawa.
“Our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to Ian’s family, friends and colleagues over the sad news of his death,” a statement from the force said.
He described Fraser as a “valued employee” who will be “greatly missed.”
“You don’t know if you’ll be here tomorrow”
According to the RCMP Veterans Association, Fraser joined the force in 1990 and served in PEI and Ontario, even at its national headquarters in Ottawa, before retiring in 2013. civil analyst five years later.
Glen Siegersma, head of the veterans group’s administration, said Fraser’s return shows that he was once again attracted to serving his country.
Siegersma shared his sympathies with Fraser’s family and friends, calling it a “sad day for many.” He also noted that he and Fraser are about the same age and said he was surprised.
“At 60, you still feel committed and want to help as best you can,” he said.
“It gives you a break and allows you to consider living every day you can and bring the best you can, because you don’t know if you’ll be here tomorrow.”
The death toll continues to rise
Joanne Labelle, a 64-year-old from Cornwall, Ont. he also died in the storm.
She was camping with friends in the Peterborough area when she was hit by a fallen tree, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Joanne Labelle, 64, died in a storm that devastated Ontario on May 21. She is survived by her husband Robert and children Zachary and Cole. (Provided by Zachary Labelle)
Labelle’s son Zachary said Labelle loved nature and being outside.
He described her as a positive person who was happy all the time and touched the lives of many during her 40-year career as a pharmacist.
Also among the victims of the storm was a 44-year-old Ottawa man. Renfrew County OPP said he died after being hit by a tree that fell on a cottage near Calabogie, Ont.
Gatineau police said a 51-year-old woman drowned after a pontoon boat capsized in the Ottawa River near the Masson-Angers area.
Provincial police announced Thursday that a 58-year-old man had died after being hit by a tree in Hastings County on Saturday around 3:30 p.m.
The man had gotten out of his vehicle in a remote area within the municipality of Marmora & Lake, which is about 50 miles north of Belleville, Ontario, according to Central Hastings OPP spokesman Const. Barbra Hunter.
The OPP also said Gail Greene, 80, of Ferguson’s Falls, Ontario, died Sunday afternoon when she was hit by a branch of a falling tree near Lanark, Ontario.