Leslie John 'Les' Mair

July 13, 1957 - June 10, 2023
In Loving Memory ~
Leslie John (Les) Mair has sadly passed away on June 10, 2023 in Ponoka at age 65 after a two year long battle with cancer.
Les was born in Oxford, England on July 13, 1957. He was the second born of three sons of Dr. Robert Mair and Margaret Mair (Milne).
He is remembered as a bright and kind child who quickly made friends wherever he went. Before immigrating to Canada in 1978, Les and his family lived not only in Scotland, where his parents originated, but also England, Jamaica, Malawi, and what is now Zimbabwe.
Les lived and worked many places in Canada, mainly throughout Alberta and British Columbia but also in Prince Edward Island, Sudbury, Yellowknife, and northern Saskatchewan. Les completed an apprenticeship at Tiara Transmission in 1984 to become a certified motor mechanic.
He then went on to have a long and diverse career with various businesses. Notably, CN Rail in the 1990s and Giant Mine in Yellowknife in the early 2000s.
Les was deeply interested in history and enjoyed visiting museums. He would fondly look back on the time he spent working at Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin and with the Nakusp Rail Society. He also enjoyed practicing martial arts but is especially remembered for his incredible passion for motorcycle riding. He bought his first motorbike at age 16 and would go on to own dozens more throughout his life.
Les is survived by his mother, his brothers, Louis and Lindsay, his nephews, Dylan and Colin, and his aunt, Margaret Connon.
Les's family would like to acknowledge their deep gratitude to Robert Ramchuck and Stan Pushak for the support and companionship they gave Les during the final chapter of his life and extend a special thank you to the compassionate staff members at Ponoka and Red Deer General Hospitals, the University of Alberta Hospital and the Cross Cancer Institute.
A celebration of life will be held 6:00pm, Thursday, July 27, 2023 at the Ponoka Scout Hall (3924 46A Street Close).