Stanley E. Brock

Stanley E. Brock
B.A. Hon., F.S.A., C.M.
1912- 2008

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Stanley E. Brock on February 21, 2008. He is survived by his wife Gertrude Blondeau; their children Donald of Montreal; Alan(Judy) of Okanagan Falls, B.C. and Joyann(Robert Guay)of Beaconsfield; and five cherished grandchildren; Maxwell, Samara, Deena, Jennifer and Patrick.
He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and attended the University of Manitoba where he was awarded the Governor General’s Gold Medal for Academic Achievement. The Canadian Red Cross Society named him an Honorary Member for Services Rendered. He was recognized by the Ordre de Merite de la Culture Francaise for exemplary integration into the Francophone Community. In 1978 the Governor General of Canada presented him as a Member of the Order of Canada.
An actuary by profession, he moved to Quebec City in the mid-1930s where he joined the Industrial Life Insurance Company, a very small and unknown company. Over the next 42 years he was instrumental in the successful development of this organization and completed his career as President. Today Industrial-Alliance is one of the largest companies in the insurance and financial services field in Canada.
Throughout his career he remained actively involved in community services. In 1956, he founded, as President, the first Readaptation Clinic for Handicapped Persons in Quebec. In 1961, as President of the Canadian Red Cross in Quebec City, he helped to construct and fund the first Blood Transfusion Center. He served as President and member of the Board of the Jeffrey Hale Hospital over a 20-year period. He was also President of the campaign that raised the funds required to construct the Y.M.C.A. building on Holland Avenue and similarly led other campaigns in support of various charitable causes. A long time active member of the Rotary Club, he was named Honorary Member for his devotion to the Club’s activities in support of handicapped persons.
Amongst friends, he would often talk about the stroke of good luck that brought him to Quebec City – a beautiful, fascinating and most desirable city in which to live. Living in a bilingual and highly cultured atmosphere was a source of personal enrichment for him. In his opinion, any sportsman would find it difficult to find a better environment offering close at hand the opportunity to participate in a variety of outdoor activities. His sporting activities included golf, curling, fishing, skiing, and hunting. A favourite activity was breaking fresh trails in snow covered mountainous areas on his snowmobile. He was a founding director and President of Cap Rouge Golf Club and had long memberships at Royal Quebec Golf Club, Atlantis Golf Club in Florida, and the Quebec Garrison Club.
At the family’s request a private memorial service was conducted in Quebec City. In remembrance, charitable donations can be made to Chalmers-Wesley United Church, 78 Ste-Ursule, Quebec, Qc. G1R 4E8