Outgoing, determined, courageous and fiercely proud of her five sons, Michael, John, David, Christopher and Tim, Robin touched the lives of many people in her 95 years. Her family and friends remember her as a gifted story teller with an eye for beauty that she expressed through photography and art.
Robin’s mother coordinated the Ottawa Little Theater and initiated Robin and her elder brother Chris to the craft. As a young woman Robin attended University of Toronto, St. Hilda’s, and spent as much time as possible at Hart House, the campus theater. After graduation, she went to London to craft her stage career. She demonstrated a talent for the stage and her gifts secured her a scholarship at la Comédie-Française in Paris, where she met Peter Boys, her husband-to-be.
Their first son Michael was born in Metz, France. Peter’s work then took them to Germany where John, David, Christopher and Tim were born before they returned to Ottawa.
Robin successfully managed a large household and when the children were a bit older, Robin engaged in local politics and worked on the newly formed Royal Commission on the Status of Women. Her organisational, people and political skills led to her being recruited into the Secretary of State where she rose to become Chief, Operations and Liaison Official, Languages in Education. Robin often shared stories of that time in her life, particularly of the remarkable women in politics who became lifelong friends.
Robin’s love of nature took root as a young child at Rock Lake in Algonquin Park, Ontario at the Taylor family cottage, and later at her own nearby cottage. It was here that Robin found a quiet joy and was fully able to celebrate her love of nature, an appreciation that she passed on to her children, most of whom migrated to British Columbia, where she retired to spend her remaining years a short walk from the ocean in Vancouver.
Robin is predeceased by her son Michael, her former husband Peter, and her brothers Christopher and Michael. She is survived by sister Lindley, and her sons: John, David, Christopher and Tim, her daughters in law; Ingrid, Nyedja, and Andrea, numerous nieces and nephews, her grandchildren; Lindsay, Tom, Pete, Justin, Madeline, Lizzie, Adam, David José and great grandchildren Francis, and Gabriel.
She requested that her ashes be scattered in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, where she loved her morning swims with the crows, seals and otters.
October 10th, 2024
Thanks Christianne, that was a beautiful tribute and brought on the tears. It helped me to remember Mom in earlier years. More recently it was a pleasure and privilege to be able to help her. I learned so much more about gentleness, patience and kindness. We became the best of friends.
Loving son # 4,
Christopher
October 4th, 2024
Robin was a dear friend to my mother Landon, and I really enjoyed her visits back to Ottawa. She was graceful and witty, smart and warm, a truly lovely person. My condolences to the family. Mum would have been heart-broken to lose her, if she hadn't slipped away first.
October 2nd, 2024
When I met Robin, hauled home to her table by her brilliant, clever, rambunctious sons for a meal, I was 16 and she was in her mid-fifties. We were fast friends in seconds. There was an onslaught of questions. She was tall and elegant and chic. Her voice was loud and warm, her pronunciation exact and her questions were direct and disarming. She spoke two languages perfectly and others moderately well.
I was in awe of her. Robin was impatient with silliness and anything cutesy and in love with whatever was genuine, natural and real. She peppered people with questions: What do you think about politics, who are you reading, what do you like to eat, why do you believe in God, what makes you say that?
She recommended books – Romain Gary, Marguerite Yourcenar, Iris Murdoch, Teilhard de Chardin, Barbara Tuchman, Nancy Mitford, Paul Scott and she generously discussed them. Her taste was characteristic of her and no one else: the pretty silver jewels on her dark skin, the lovely full skirts of Indian muslin in shades of marigold and persimmon from Ottawa’s Sarah Clothes, the soft cashmere sweaters and the hats, even her tennis clothes were chic.
Robin’s morning ritual in those old days absolutely charmed me. First, a small glass of squeezed fresh juice while the kettle boiled. Then the precise amount of fragrant coffee ground, slowly wetted and then infused into a pretty China cup. She would steam her face in the stream from the kettle while the coffee dripped, then inhale the delicious perfume, have a sip, light a cigarette – occasionally a Gitane - begin to chat. On to toast and possibly an egg with the Sunday Observer, sitting in the warm sunny spot in her kitchen.
In the hot dog days of summer she’d make crushed ice and pour Pineau de Charentes on it, or squeeze an orange into a splash of Campari and soda. She planted tulips and grew flowers and sewed herself pale silvery blue silk curtains. Her Christmas tree was a huge Ficus tree hung with tiny white lights, walnuts and kumquats. The art on the walls of her spare, white rooms was oils and sketches, spectacular Inuit art from Northern Canada, old pine furniture from colonial Québec mixed with Scandinavian pieces, and photographs in black and white of Robin’s incisive profile at the Comédie française or modeling the Dior new look at an embassy function.
We traveled around BC together one summer, silently companionable or discussing life, wandering around mountainsides. She had so many stories and I loved them all. We laughed so hard on that trip.
These days, when a good friend dies it takes me a long time to process it. In Robin’s case, we had thousands of miles between us for over 30 years and we no longer had the same close ties or a common narrative, but Robin’s world was the world of ideas, and we could still talk when I phoned for hours on end. I’ve thought of her so often over the years.
Once I thought I’d try and shake off some of the inevitable childhood trauma people my age seem to suffer from. The therapist asked me: “Can you think back to someone who made you feel truly seen, valued, and appreciated?” Of course it was Robin.
My fondest, deepest condolences to her sons, her sister, her nieces and nephews, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She adored you all and I’m sure you’ll cherish her memory forever. I will too.
All my love,
Christianne
October 2nd, 2024
Mom was an inspiration in so many ways.
She was always up for an adventure whether it was paddling the barrier reef off Belize as one of Tim's first tour customers our ballooning over the Grand Canyon at 82 yrs or hanging with the Grizzly bears in the Chilcotin.
She instilled a love of nature and a sense of wonder in all of us. à la recherche de la beauté was her moto.
She loved her 5 Boys boys but gave us the space to experiment, make mistakes, go out on a limb… while always knowing she was there as a home port.
As a 13 year old I was allowed to take the canoe and disappear for 5 days with no supervision. If 4 of 5 boys showed up for a meal we were doing well…
I know she worried about us but she kept it to herself.
She instilled a love of food…
As a 9 year old I would come home from school and Robin had the diner menu pinned to the fridge for one of the boys to take on. I remember David once wanted to try Quail roasted in grapes- Robin made sure he had all the ingredients and some direction and off he went. Dinner was very late, and the kitchen was a disaster scene, but the meal was memorable. To this day when the Boys family gathers for a meal, a main topic of conversation is the menu for the next meal…
I could go on and on...
Her loving son John
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