HUGH JOHN FRASER
August 13, 1952 – August 23, 2023
FRASER, Hugh John – Died peacefully in London, ON having just turned 71. His family is shocked and devastated by his sudden death, which was due to a very brief and unexpected illness. He loved, and was much loved by, his wife Terry Green; daughter Erin Fraser (Johnston Miller) of Corner Brook, NL and their children Rex and Juniper; and son Douglas Fraser of Etobicoke, ON. He is also survived by four elder brothers: Scott (Maggie), Blair (Anne); Alex (Ingrid) and Craig (Alison); his younger sister Cathy; and many nieces and nephews. He will be sadly missed by Heather and Peter Ioannou; Elaine, Alan and Evan Brander; and many other dear friends.
Hugh was proud to be a sole practitioner, working from the Hugh Fraser Law Office on Adelaide Street in London for almost forty years. He felt privileged to help clients through life’s ups and downs and was a diligent, kind and dedicated lawyer whose reassuring manner and voice of reason were much appreciated by colleagues and clients alike. His keen intelligence, natural curiosity, insatiable pursuit of knowledge, voracious love of reading, and seemingly infallible memory made him a valued source of advice as well as a favoured trivia partner. His eclectic interests included industrial archeology, cooking, clocks, and myriad others (having taken up coding at the age of 70); he remained true to his undergrad roots as a geographer, eagerly learning about the environment around him from his backyard in London, his beloved cottage home adjoining Pinery Park, and more distant travel destinations.
He treasured his family and was an amazing husband, father and grandfather. Terry and Hugh were true partners in life, supporting one another as they together prioritized family while building their separate businesses. At a time when it was far less common, Hugh took a very active role in every aspect of his children’s lives and genuinely enjoyed them; as a father and grandfather, he was fun, endlessly patient, always happy to answer questions, and fostered their confidence and self-sufficiency. He loved broadening his horizons through the interests of all the children in his life and, to their great delight, seriously and enthusiastically pursued a wild array of eccentric projects with them. We only wish that he could have had more time with all of us and, particularly, been able to share his gifts with his grandchildren for many more years.
A reception will be held from 3:30 to 7 pm on Wednesday, August 30 at Harris Funeral Home, 220 St. James Street, London, ON.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice.