Toronto Star ePaper

J. HOWARD LANGSTAFF, CD, Lt. Col. BSc., MBA, AMP Harvard

Following a brief illness, Howard passed away in Toronto on May 12, 2022, at the age of 97. He was born in Passaic, New Jersey, on March 8, 1925 to Canadian parents Percy and Margaret O'Rourke LangstaЇ.

Howard was a devoted husband, father, brother, father-in-law, grandfather and uncle. He will be sadly missed by his beloved wife, Shirley, of 72 years; their two children, Karen LangstaЇ Meslin and Jim; son-in-law, Brad Meslin; granddaughter Kaitlyn Meslin; brother, Raymond and his wife, Doreen; nephew, Michael; nieces Helen and Beverley; and numerous friends.

Howard served with the Royal Canadian Air Force in Canada and overseas during WWII. Following the war, he served with the Black Watch (RHR) of Canada and as a General StaЇ OЊcer at Canadian Army Headquarters ̫ Quebec Command in Montreal. After 21 years on active duty and in Militia Service, he retired from the military in 1963. He was awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration. Howard was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion beginning in 1945 and was awarded the Legion 75-year anniversary medal.

He is a graduate of the Canadian Army StaЇ College, Concordia University, McGill University and the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

Following his graduation from McGill, Howard embarked on an international business career in the chemical and rubber industries with Monsanto Chemical Company. In 1964, he moved with his family to the company's headquarters in St. Louis and then to Brussels, Belgium, where he managed product marketing across Monsanto's European operations.

After Јve years in Brussels, the family returned to Canada where Howard joined Polysar, a leading manufacturer of synthetic rubber headquartered in Sarnia, Ontario. He held several executive positions with Polysar before becoming Vice President, responsible for North and South America.

Later in Howard's career, he was recruited by Atomic Energy of Canada, a Canadian Crown Corporation, located in Ottawa, where he served as Executive Vice President. During his tenure at AECL, he made numerous international trips and joined Canadian trade delegations to South Korea, Indonesia, and China, leading CANDU nuclear reactor sales. He retired in 1985 and moved to Toronto.

Following his retirement, Howard became a CESO volunteer (Canadian Executive Services Overseas) where he led a number of consulting assignments in Central and Eastern Europe, mainly in Poland and Ukraine, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

He and his wife Shirley traveled extensively, including trips to all seven continents, enjoying many unique sites some before they became popular tourist destinations. In their later years, they enjoyed cruising and spending winters on Anna Maria Island, Florida, at their second home.

Howard was an avid reader ̫ usually non-Јction ̫ particularly enjoying books on World War II and numerous historical biographies.

Howard was fond of the quote, ̲Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.̳ He was blessed with both; a long life and many extraordinary moments. Family and friends will be received at a Memorial Service and Celebration of Life at a date to be announced.

DEATHS, MEMORIALS

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2022-05-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

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