Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

HAY RIVER - Hay River has lost a Northern icon who was instrumental in shaping the community for more than six decades.

Red McBryan, who was a dedicated river-watcher in advance of spring breakup, measures the snow cover on the West Channel of the Hay River in April 2007. - NNSL file photo

W. R. (Red) McBryan - the town's first mayor, a long-time councillor and famed river-watcher, to mention just a few of his many roles - died in the early morning hours of June 29 at the age of 92.

Joe McBryan said his father did not die from any particular illness, but from a body that failed due to old age.

"The body just got tired and decided to leave this country," he said, adding his father's mind stayed sharp to the very last hour.

Joe McBryan noted his father was surrounded by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and old friends during his final days in hospital in Hay River.

"This was the place to go, if he was to go," he said. "This has been his town since 1949."

Joe McBryan noted his father lived a good and healthy life.

"Ninety-two is a good age," he said. "Though he goes, he goes with no regrets because everything is said and everything has been done. We'll certainly miss him, but he certainly left us a lot."

On a very personal note, Joe McBryan said he didn't say goodbye to his father. "I just said, 'Thank-you.'"

Among his many notable accomplishments, McBryan served on Hay River council for 49 consecutive years from 1952 to 2000, and was the town's first mayor when it was incorporated in 1963.

In 2000, he was named an honourary member of council for life.

"His strength as a politician was he never had a hidden agenda and he never had a vendetta," said Joe McBryan. "He only served the public."

His son also noted McBryan was outspoken and a fighter for the town.

However, McBryan never talked about his accomplishments, his son said. "He considered his accomplishments a joint effort with his council and the public. He never ever took credit for one thing."

Although known to all by his nickname, McBryan's given names were Wilson Roderick. He got his nickname because of his red hair.

Red McBryan, who was born in Edmonton, first came North to Aklavik in 1934 as a teenaged deckhand on a trading ship. Later, he served on Hudson Bay boats and the RCMP patrol vessel St. Roch.

In 1942, he began working as a blaster in a mine at Gordon Lake, north of Yellowknife.

Then in 1949, he first came to Hay River with a mining expediting company.

Joe McBryan said his father took a liking to Hay River and stayed because it was a good place to raise a family - he and his wife, Bertha, had eight children - and there were many opportunities for work.

In Hay River, he became foreman on the construction of the highways to the border and from Enterprise to Fort Providence.

For the last 20 years of his working life, he was superintendent of the Mackenzie highway system for the GNWT.

McBryan was also a river-watcher for well over 50 years, even going into northern Alberta to measure snow levels and trying to predict whether Hay River might face flood conditions.

In the early 1960s, he started developing a farm at the border and became a full-time farmer when he retired.

In addition, he helped transport healthy bison from Wood Buffalo National Park to create a new herd in the Fort Providence area in the mid-1960s.

Paul Delorey, MLA for Hay River North and speaker of the legislative assembly, said McBryan's passing was a sad day for him personally and for the town of Hay River.

"I've known Red for as long as I can remember," he said. "I considered him a true friend and a very valued advisor, especially in my role as MLA."

Delorey said McBryan was a true pioneer for Hay River.

"He had a big role in shaping Hay River into the way Hay River is now, in his involvement with politics and flood control, you name it," he said.

Mayor Kelly Schofield said the death of McBryan is a huge loss for the community.

Schofield noted McBryan's extraordinary number of years on council.

"It tells you right there that the man was engaged with the town and he had a lot to contribute, and he's going to be greatly missed," the mayor said.

In fact, Schofield said, before Hay River had a municipal government, McBryan was appointed administrator of the community.

McBryan was the forefather of the town, he said. "Without him and his guidance, Hay River might not be the place it is today."

Schofield recently nominated McBryan for the 2011 Community Builder Award Roll of Honour. The award from the NWT Association of Communities recognizes those who have served on a council for 15 years or more.

The Town of Hay River had planned to present the award to McBryan during a flag-raising ceremony on Canada Day. Instead, it was presented to his wife.

Joe McBryan said his father had received a number of awards over the years, but he was very modest about them.

Funeral services for Red McBryan will be held on July 6 at Assumption Roman Catholic Church in Hay River.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.