Hugh Wilford McKervill

Two years after suffering a stroke, at age 94, Hugh Wilford McKervill died at his home in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on August 5th 2025. He is survived by his wife, Moonhei Gye, by his elder daughter Kathleen Belva Glauser and by his son-in-law, Roland Glauser. Also surviving are his daughter, Mary Maureen McKervill, his grand-daughter Grace Emma Merrett, his son Hugh James McKervill, his daughter-in-law Darlene McKervill and his grand-son Padric McKervill. Hugh Wilford was the son of Hugh McKervill of Ballymoney county Antrim, Northern Ireland and Annie (Nan) Hutchinson McKervill, nee McCandless, of Coleraine, county Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Hugh Wilford was born in Toronto Ontario during the great depression, a reality that caused the young immigrants to return to Northern Ireland while their son was still an infant. In Northern Ireland Hugh W. commenced and completed public school, then began apprenticeship as a carpenter. Following the Second World War the family, including another son, Alan Raymond (now deceased) and a daughter, Myrna Ann, returned to Canada and settled in London, Ontario. Hugh Wilford served his apprenticeship and worked as a carpenter in various Canadian locations. In 1953, he entered Waterloo College as a mature student. He was valedictorian when he graduated in 1956 with a B.A degree in Arts and Science. He then entered Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto. He graduated in 1969 with a Masters Degree in theology (M.Div.). In the same year, he was ordained a minister of the United Church of Canada. As a minister, he spent four years in Bella Bella, B.C., four years at Trinity United Church in Kitchener Ontario, and two years in Port Hope, Ontario. In 1969, he left Church work to become Regional Liaison Officer with the Federal Secretary of State Department. Stationed in Moncton, New Brunswick, he spent ten years promoting the Federal Governments social and cultural policies in New Brunswick and P.E.I. In January 1979, he was appointed Atlantic Regional Director for the Canadian Human Rights Commission, a position he held until early retirement fifteen years later. A belief in life-long learning led him to engage in post-graduate studies in Counselling and Therapy at University of British Columbia; in Adult Education at St. Francis Xavier University; Principles of Management at the University of Moncton; and Human Relations Training at the National Training Institute where he was appointed as A Fellow in 1983. Besides his ongoing studies, Hugh had a busy life following a broad range of cultural, social and sports interests. Until his middle years, he sang in everything from barbershop quartets to oratorio and Gilbert and Sullivan light opera. He was an award winning Life Member of the Halifax Dartmouth Photographic Guild and an enthusiastic participant in the art of home wine making through membership in the Halifax/Dartmouth Wine Circle where he was President for two years. He was an avid salmon angler and for many decades was Editorial Contributor with The Atlantic Salmon Journal. Hugh founded the Irish Canadian Children's Association that for several years brought groups of children from Belfast to Halifax for a period of respite from the troubles in Northern Ireland. He was an able organic gardener, and he was the author of four Canadian non-fiction books as well as scores of magazine articles for which he won Atlantic Journalism Awards on three occasions.

Hugh Wilford McKervill

June 15, 1931 - August 5, 2025