On the morning of August 18th, 2025, Blair McCauley passed away peacefully at The Moncton Hospital at the age of 68, with Terry - his loving wife and best friend of 42 years - by his side, after a brief and courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Blair was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, to Harry and Doris (Wilkinson) McCauley as one of seven children. He later spent many years living in Guelph, Ontario raising his own family before retiring to Riverview, New Brunswick, settling into a lovely home which offered a peaceful view of the Petitcodiac River and countless sunsets. Here he was able to lean into his lifelong passions for staying active and the great outdoors through exploring the beauty of the East Coast by bike and by foot, often accompanied by his brother Lorne and his pups, Nami and Fez. Blair and his wife made new memories as they became travellers in their retirement, enjoying trips to London, Scotland and, most recently, Ireland this past May.
Those who knew Blair understood that behind his tough exterior was a sensitive and caring soul, that he loved his family and friends deeply, and that he was so excited to become "Grumpa" to his new granddaughter, Alice, who was born in June this year. They also know that he loved watching the Toronto Blue Jays, enjoying a cold beer at the end of the day, reminiscing with family, obliterating crossword puzzles, reading Ian Rankin novels, catching up with friends at the local watering hole, and perhaps most of all he loved listening to and appreciating music - a love he passed on to his children. Fittingly, "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd was playing as Blair passed over to the other side.
Blair is survived by his wife Terry (née Theresa Bain), daughter Shannon (Chris Evers), son Patrick (Emma Ditchburn), and granddaughter Alice Evers. He is also survived by his siblings, RJ (Sandy), Evelyn (Nicholas Robinson), Sheila (Murray Howland), Beverly Church (Murray), and Lorne (Denise). He is predeceased by his brother Keith (Penny).
Blair’s family would like to extend their deep gratitude to the nurses, doctors and staff on the 4100 Unit at The Moncton Hospital for their exceptional care, support and kindness over these past few challenging weeks.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to either The Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation or The Conservation Halton Foundation - a place where Blair and his family enjoyed many hikes together.
There will be a small, private celebration of life held at a future date for family and close friends, however we invite those who would like to honour Blair to perhaps head out onto a local trail to enjoy a moment on the land, or crack open a cold beverage of your choice, sit back and savour a favourite record.
