2018 was a year that brought both promise and challenges to Windsor-Essex, and as with every year, we lost people who made a difference in the community.
This year, BlackburnNewsWindsor.com covered the passing of trailblazing politicians, educators, and business people who made their mark on the city and region.
Mason H. MacDonald, a founder of St. Clair College, passed away on January 14 at age 82. The lifelong educator was one of those who created the Western Ontario Institute of Technology, the forerunner to St. Clair College. He also served as the college's athletic director for 20 years and coached its basketball, soccer, and hockey teams.
Mason MacDonald. Photo by St. Clair College.
Howard McCurdy, educator and politician, died on February 20 at 85. McCurdy grew up in Amherstburg and taught at the University of Windsor for 20 years, becoming the first black Canadian to achieve tenure. He also served two terms as a Windsor city councillor before being elected as a Member of Parliament for Windsor-Walkerville in 1984, serving until 1993. McCurdy was the second black MP in Canadian history and the first from the NDP.
Dr. Howard McCurdy, 1932-2018. Courtesy Families First Funeral Home.
Sergio Marchionne, the Italian-born, Canadian-raised and educated CEO of Fiat-Chrysler, died July 25 after a short illness. He was 66. He moved to Canada with his family as a teenager and attended the University of Windsor. He guided Chrysler through a time of uncertainty following its near-bankruptcy in 2009. Under his watch, sales of the Pacifica minivan skyrocketed, providing the Windsor Assembly Plant with three shifts of production. After Marchionne's passing, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens ordered all flags in the city lowered to half-staff.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne speaks to media at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, January 15, 2018. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.
Windsor mourned the sudden passing of businessman Mark Boscariol on July 26 at 51. At one point, Boscariol ran three successful restaurants, the Snack Bar-B-Q and Downtown Pizza downtown; and the Good Neighbour in Walkerville. In addition to his business contributions, Boscariol had been working at the time of his passing to help Bike Windsor-Essex move to a new permanent home.
Elizabeth Kishkon, Windsor's only female mayor, passed away on August 29 at age 87. Born in Oshawa, she grew up in England before moving to Windsor as a young adult. Kishkon served on Windsor City Council before being elected mayor in 1983. She served just one two-year term, but it included a visit to Windsor by Queen Elizabeth II in 1984, along with her friendly rivalry with Detroit Mayor Coleman Young during the International Freedom Festival.
A portrait of Elizabeth Kishkon, first female mayor of Windsor, is on display at New Windsor City Hall, May 26, 2018. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.
Michelle Prince, wife of former Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis, passed away on November 18 following a long, courageous and public battle with cancer. She had battled the disease on and off for over four years and used her fight to call attention to cancer research.
