Former McGill VP John Armour: 1929-2012

John Armour, McGill Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) from 1980 until his retirement in 1995, died peacefully in his sleep Sunday at his home in Dollard des Ormeaux following Father’s Day celebrations with his family. He would have turned 83 on June 25. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1929, Armour and his family moved to Canada in 1966 to come to McGill, where he worked until his retirement.
Former McGill Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) John Armour speaks at his retirement party in 1995.

By McGill Reporter Staff

John Armour, McGill Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) from 1980 until his retirement in 1995, died peacefully in his sleep Sunday at his home in Dollard des Ormeaux following Father’s Day celebrations with his family.

He would have turned 83 on June 25.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1929, Armour and his family moved to Canada in 1966 to come to McGill, where he worked until his retirement.

Armour’s first appointment at McGill was as Director of Internal Audit in 1966. He later served as Comptroller before taking the position of V-P (Finance) in 1980, which became V-P (Administration and Finance) in 1981.

Upon his retirement in 1995, Armour received Honorary Membership for Distinguished Service from the Canadian Association of University Business Officers.

Armour steered the University’s finances through some challenging times and succeeded in seeing its debt significantly lowered before he retired. He also supported Management Forum, to encourage more managers to become involved in discussing issues facing the University

An active member of St. Luke’s Parish in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, where he and his family lived, Armour was also a committed volunteer. He counselled people with drug addictions at a rehabilitation centre for many years, as well as the dying in the Palliative Care Service of the Royal Victoria Hospital.

He will be missed by his wife Maureen, children Mary, Joseph (Suzanne) and Bernie (Cindy) and by his five grandchildren, Melissa, Michelle, Julian, Amy and Holly. Armour is also survived by his two sisters, Mary Houston and Margaret Hughes.

The Armour family will receive condolences at Rideau Funeral Home, 4275 Sources Blvd., Dollard-des-Ormeaux, (514) 685-3344, on Wednesday, June 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. A Funeral Mass will take place at St. Luke’s Parish, 106A Anselme-Lavigne, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, on Thursday, June 21, at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Médecins sans Frontières.