Obituary of Ronald Lang

April 26, 1933-May 15, 2023

Ronald William Lang died peacefully on Monday May 15, 2023 surrounded by family, while listening to his favourite country music. Predeceased by his beloved “Danish Princess” Birthe less than a year ago after more than 68 years of marriage, as well as sister Shirley (Page), brothers-in-law Douglas Page, Erik Simonsen, Aage Simonsen, and nephew Richard Janes. Dad is survived by his sister Donna Jean (Janes) (Steve), and brothers Wilson (Claudia) and William (Velma). Also leaving to mourn him are: his children Harold (Cindy), Heather, Stephen (Jeannette), John (Bev), and Christopher; his grandchildren Tanya, Curtis (Lorne), Andrew (Alicia), Alison, Harrison, Dylan (Rachel), and Aaron; and his great grandchildren Athena, Emma, Milla, Samuel, and Meka. Dad will also be missed by many nieces, nephews, and dear friends. Dad was born on April 26, 1933, in St. Mary’s to the late Judge Harold DeFoe and Marion Christine (Grieve) and had three great loves in his life: farming, worker’s rights, and Mom. Taking over the family farm in 1953, Dad and Mom worked it until the land was expropriated by the government in the early 1960s. It was during this period that Dad found his passion for the labour movement, when he became a member of the United Cement Lime and Gypsum Workers, eventually becoming President of the Woodstock and District Labour Council (Honourary Life Member). Dad, with a grade 10 education, was sent by the labour council to study at the Labour College of Canada while he was still farming and working at the Woodstock cement plant (graduating with “great distinction”). After the farm expropriation, and Dad entered the University of Waterloo as an adult student, where he obtained his B.A. (Honours) and M.A. in Political Science, culminating in a PhD from the London School of Economics where he attended on a Canadian Council Scholarship. Dad’s thesis “The Politics of Drugs” is much cited in the field to this day. After a brief stint as an Assistant Professor at York University’s Glendon College, Dad became the Director of Research, then Director of Research and Legislation, with the Canadian Labour Congress, where he worked for over fifteen years before retiring. Among Dad’s many distinctions, he was a member of both the Advisory Council to the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs and the Advisory Council to the Minister of Agriculture, was a labour representative on the Metric Commission, the Committee on Bankruptcy and Insolvency, the Board of Directors for the Canada Post Corporation, as well as a member of multiple task forces. Dad also was one of the founders of the Canadian Labour Market and Productivity Centre, and served as Honourary Chairman of the fundraising committee to establish the Stanley Knowles Visiting Professorship in the Canadian Studies Program at the University of Waterloo. Dad received the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal for his contributions to public policy and the trade union movement, was entered in the Canadian Who’s Who, and was the recipient of an Honourary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Waterloo. Dad was also a prolific (and self-taught) restorer of antique boats and canvas canoes. He was famous for saying one of his favourite quotes: “If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats, he would have made fiberglass trees.” Known for his acerbic tongue and wicked sense of humour, Dad was always quick off the mark, making Mom and everyone around him laugh. Dad would be embarrassed by all of the accolades referenced in his obituary, and although having attended meetings with the likes of Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Thatcher, Dad was never more comfortable, or at home, than socializing with, and advocating for, the everyday worker. He hated the thought of his obituary reading like a resume (sorry Dad). Dad also became more and more despondent with the state of the world, particularly the disparity in income. It is therefore appropriate and fitting that the family leave everyone reading this with the following quote from our dear father when speaking to graduates upon receiving his honourary doctorate: “I also ask, in the every day actions of your new graduate life, to do what small things you can to reverse the present trend in society.” Well done Dad. If only more people took to heart your words. You will be dearly missed and please say hi to Mom. A special thank you to the loving and caring staff at Groves Park Lodge in Renfrew who provided exemplary care to Dad and treated him like family. Like Mom, Dad would simply ask, in honour of his memory, that you help the less fortunate in society. If, however, you are so inclined to make a donation, please consider the Arnprior Food Bank, the Stanley Knowles Professorship at (here) (select, “Other Fund” and include in the comments, “Stanley Knowles Professorship” and select “In memory or honor of someone special: Ronald Lang”) or the Groves Park Lodge Auxiliary. Private viewing for the immediate family will occur on Friday, May 19, 2023 followed by cremation. Public visitation will take place at the Boyce Funeral Home, 138 Daniel Street North, Arnprior, on Saturday, May 20, 2023 between noon and 2:00 p.m., with a memorial service starting at 2:00 p.m., followed by a reception at the Boyce Reception Centre. The service will be live streamed and is available to the left of this page under the tab Live Webcast. For cellullar devices, please use the drop-down arrow at the top of this page.