Light BrianLIGHT, Brian Richard - Died peacefully at his home on the morning of January 19, 2020.

He is survived by Pamela (nee Fulford), his loving wife of 45 years and their three children Bridget (Jonathan), Richard and Claire (Stuart).

He will also be dearly missed by his brothers Gordon (Barbara), Ted (Karen) and Greg (Margaret) as well as a great number of nieces, nephews, in-laws, friends, colleagues and dozens of other people who he met and connected with during his rich and full life.

The son of Edwin S. and Evelyn (nee Leask) Brian grew up in Ottawa and moved to Toronto in 1968 at the age of 15, where he attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute. At North Toronto he met Pam, who he began dating in 1970 and married in 1974. It was a 50 year romance that inspired everyone who saw them together. The couple remained happy and loving throughout the years, even as Brian’s life was reshaped by a diagnosis of Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis in 2005.

Although his disease came to colour much of the later part of his life it did not define him. Brian will always be remembered as a dynamic, athletic man who always had a new vision he wanted to bring into the world. This energetic and visionary drive resulted in a two successful publishing trade ventures, Truck News (launched in 1981) and Salon Magazine (launched in 1993), but was also displayed in inventiveness in creating new sports and games (most famously, “Wall Ball”), his unrestrained dance moves, his unique sense of humour and his imaginative artistic creations (after completing his Fine Art degree from U of T in 1976 this was mostly limited to elaborate doodling during long phone conversations). It also allowed him to confront his MS with incredible resiliency and creativity. The number of devices and “hacks” that he invented to adapt to his worsening disabilities are incalculable, although his most impressive, and perhaps ridiculous, was the giant, plastic “spider-walker” that allowed him to keep playing his favourite sport of volleyball after he was no longer able to walk.

Brian will also be remembered for his generosity of spirit. He loved to be able to help family, friends, colleagues in anyway he could. This manifested itself in many ways from financial assistance to offering his wisdom and advice. His tenacity was legendary, and if you had him in your corner, no one was a better advocate.

No obituary could capture who Brian was or everything accomplished, but he was deeply proud of and connected to his family. He was a very engaged and loving parent, devoted husband, brother and son, and that is what he would want to be remembered for most of all. Brian loved spending Christmas and long stretches of the Summer with Pam and the kids at the cottage near Meaford ON, where his parents lived and, later, two brothers and his eldest daughter. The family cottage on Georgian Bay was also where he hosted an annual Beach Volleyball Tournament (The Pond Scum Cup) with his son, brothers, nephews and a cast of supportive friends all taking part.

Many of those supportive friends were instrumental in making Brian’s last years filled with fun and excitement, even as mobility made some of his favourite activities no longer possible. He greatly enjoyed socializing up until the end. In addition to his wonderful friends, the family would also like to thank the personal support workers who assisted Brian with his daily life, and listened to his many stories and jokes, over the last few years.

Friends are invited to visit at Morley Bedford Funeral Home, Toronto on Sunday, January 26 between 2:30-5:00 pm for a visitation and reception.

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the Bruce Trail Conservatory Fund (https://brucetrail.org/) or the World Wildlife Fund (https://donate.wwf.org.au/donate/koala-crisis/koala-crisis)

TorontoObituaries.com

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