Ian McIntosh

Ian McIntosh passed away peacefully on March 7, 2022, at the age of 66, with his family by his side. Ian spent a long three weeks battling a recent heart attack and stroke under the compassionate care of the Ottawa Heart Institute and Civic Hospital staff.

Ian was born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland on March 11, 1955, to his mother, Catherine Larkin Hunter, and father, Alexander McIntosh. He was a spritely child and loving side-kick to his older brother Alexander "Mac / Sandy" McIntosh. Together they spent most of their younger years growing up in Kinghorn, Fife.

Ian had a talent and affinity for music which led him towards a career in audio engineering, hearing aid development, and communications technology. Ian taught impression taking techniques for the audiology department at George Brown College in Toronto. Ian later began his own business building custom hearing aids and monitors for musicians; working with Celine Dion, Great Big Sea, the Barra MacNeils, Rush, Iron Maiden, and Sloan, among other artists. He later headed the research and development team for Sonomax Technologies, winning 2 CES awards for Design and Engineering in 2011 and Best Headphones in 2012.  Ian always connected with the local music scene wherever he was, and many of his deepest friendships and memories were formed from those experiences in Kirkcaldy, Kinghorn, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Glengarry.

Ian emigrated to Canada in 1977 and spent several years traveling in the United States while teaching and training for the hearing aid industry. Ian met his wife, Kerry Herwynen, in the early 1990s and they soon welcomed their daughter, Margaret Catharine, in 1993. Ian was embraced into Kerry's family and soon became a loving father to Kerry's children, Nathan Thompson, Nicholas Thompson, and Meredith Thompson. Later becoming a proud grandfather to Nathan and Ann Park's children, Maria Jean Hyun Thompson and Prescott Jinyoung Thompson.
Ian was a kind and gentle man, talented musician, skilled engineer, wonderful father and husband, and all-around goof. He will be deeply missed by his friends and family.

We welcome everyone to share their stories and photos of Ian here.

If you wish to donate in Ian's memory, you may gift your support to the Ottawa Heart Institute foundation ( here ).

Ian's family want to thank their friends and neighbours for the loving gifts of support they received during this difficult time.