Robin Leigh HALL

HALL, Robin Leigh July 4, 1927 – August 20, 2013 With the full moon, Robin slipped away from us about 1 a.m. Tuesday and out of Tsehum Harbour near Sidney, BC, on “Key Largo,” a scotch in his hand, the Globe & Mail beside him. Probably heading for the American San Juan Islands where they celebrated his birthday properly every fourth of July. Robin Leigh Hall was born in Sydney, Australia on July 4, 1927. At 16, he joined the Royal Australian Navy as a gunner, spent three years in the Pacific during World War II, and was part of the first occupying force in Japan. After beginning a career in advertising in Sydney (his father owned and managed the well-known Sydney School of Applied Advertising), Rob left for London in the late forties, where he was an advertising copywriter. Moving to Canada in 1952, he worked on the client side at Young & Rubicam, and was a founding staffer at Ogilvy & Mather Canada. Later, he was Vice-President, Marketing, and then President of Bristol Myers, Canada. In 1971 he founded MetroMarket Newspapers, a marketing organization for Canada’s 10 largest newspapers. In 1976, he launched an international newspaper called Global News. When his investors missed last call for the startup, he and Jane, his last and best love, decided to plan for their life together by building a better pension plan. The Glass Store, selling nothing but drinking glasses and glass tableware opened on Mount Pleasant Road in Toronto and was franchised in Ontario and BC. When they sold the business nine years later, they decided to move to Victoria, BC, and enjoy west coast living. In 1988 they moved to Sidney to be closer to their succession of boats, spending many happy hours on the best one, “Key Largo.” Rob and Jane loved to travel, and cruised or toured much of the world, including the Mediterranean, Panama Canal, South America, the Yangtse, and Alaska. Visited most of Asia and Europe and the UK, with a cruise ship holiday to Russia and Scandinavia, and river cruises down the Rhine and the Seine. Robin served on the boards of two venture capital and startup companies, was a founding advisor to the University of Victoria Faculty of Business, and was on the Board of the Greater Victoria Hospitals Foundation, the Sidney Economic Development Committee, and the Panorama Recreation Commission. He was indeed an inspiration, to advertisers and marketers, and to the many young men and women he mentored through the years. Rob always gave back, always willing to talk to someone who wanted to move ahead, always willing to write the article, give the speech that might motivate others to succeed. Gone before him are his parents Vic and Betty and his stepmother, Helen; his older brother, Rex; the mother of his children, Gwen; his daughter, Andrea. Left behind and missing him very much are his loving partner of some 38 years, Jane; his children, Jane, Dennice, and Matt (Susan); many grandchildren and great grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and wonderful friends. Rob died at home in his own bed, with his loving wife Jane, Denny and Matt beside him, and according to his wishes, has been cremated. Family and friends will remember him at a really good party in September. We all thank the wonderful nurses from the Saanich Peninsula Care Centre, the palliative staff at Saanich Peninsula Hospital, the Palliative Response Team from Victoria Hospice, the loan cupboard at the Mount Newton Centre, the caregivers from Beacon Community Services, and most of all, Dr. Colin Tamboline. Colin was our calm, compassionate lifeline to everyone and everything, ensuring that Robin had the very best of care and comfort. Thank you all so much. If you wish to honour Robin’s memory, please think of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Palliative Unit, or Victoria Hospice. “Robin was a man of many parts, a man of many pieces, but a man complete and unique, a man apart. Love you forever, my Pie.”