Ian Gordon Pyper, LLB Peacefully at home on March 19, 2021 in his 91st year, in Victoria, B.C.
Ian will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his wife Margaret, his sister Jean Chilcott, his children John (Juanita Berkhout), Stewart (Kaiulani), Boyd, Brian (Robin Jenkinson), and Barbara (Chris Stepien), and their mother Bonita M. Pyper, his nieces Alison (David) and Jenifer (Rob), as well as his grandchildren Gordon (Erica), Margaret, Kate (Robin), Bryn and Buddy, step-grandchildren Maria and Eric, and great grand children Kaleo, Adelaide and Fable. He was predeceased by his father, John Robert Pyper, 1969, and his mother, 1975, Mary Emelene (nee Service) Pyper.
Ian was born and raised in Kamloops attending Kamloops High School, before going on to study law at the University of British Columbia. Ian was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1955. He joined the law firm of Tysoe, Harper, Gilmour Grey in 1954 in Vancouver and practiced there until the late 1960's. During that time he served for two years as Executive Assistant to the Honourable E. Davie Fulton, P.C., Q.C., federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General in 1957, rejoining the firm in 1960 and becoming a Partner in 1962.
During his teenage years Ian developed a life long attachment to the Progressive Conservative Party and a keen interest in Canadian politics, and with the guidance of his father and others he first assisted, then managed numerous political election campaigns for E. Davie Fulton, the Honourable John Fraser, P.C., O.C., O.B.C., C.D., Q.C., and Douglas Jung, C.M., O.B.C., C.D., M.P, the first Chinese Canadian to be elected to a legislature in Canada, as well as many others before and after his years in Asia with his final campaign being in 2008 in Victoria.
During the 1960's Ian began a decades long career in Asia, by venturing to Hong Kong undertaking immigration law, followed by business relationships in the forestry sector that culminated in the family moving to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1970. Ian led a successful Canadian forestry venture in Malaysia for three years before moving to Singapore where he established an international legal advisory and consultancy practise covering South East Asia for companies from Europe, North American and Australia in the shipping, engineering, logistics and aviation sectors.
He enjoyed significant success in Indonesia and established long lasting friendships and business relationships throughout the region. During this time period he was married to Margaret and together they lived in Singapore. Ian continued with his consultancy work but more time was spent travelling visiting family in Canada and the UK. While in the UK he studied and obtained his Diploma in International Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution from Oxford University and worked to introduce the concept in developing Asian countries. More time was spent in London allowing Margaret to care for her mother and on her passing the decision was made to return to Victoria in 2005 and less travel.
Ian enjoyed his time there and mastered new skills with stocks and shares, all things political from international issues to local civic concerns. He was an avid reader closely following business trends and his favourite baseball team - the N.Y. Yankees. Ian enjoyed his life. He was a mentor, friend and above all a gentleman.
