Apr 29, 1942 - Jun 23, 2025

• Brian “Blues” Chapman

You are fortunate if you may have met someone like Blues in your lifetime.

Brian Chapman, Blues, to his friends, died on June 23rd, 2025 of heart failure at Bruyère Health Saint Vincent Hospital, in Ottawa. Blues was born in Amherstburg in southwestern Ontario in 1942.  He attended Staff College at Kingston where he was introduced to graphic arts, this experience contributed to making him an accomplished artist.

In the Yorkville of the 60’s he became a leader and an activist assisting young people in trouble where he had a positive impact on his community. He furthered his social and community involvement helping young people and disadvantaged groups at the community levels.  He then worked for both  provincial and federal governments, in Vancouver (his favourite place in the world), Toronto and Ottawa. Later on Blues worked more and more on Aboriginal issues making important contributions to programming designed for and controlled by Aboriginal people.

In Vancouver, on a blind date (thanks to Lonnie) Blues met his partner and the love of his life, Louise who was with him until the end.  Blues was an artist, a writer, a storyteller. He was a loving partner, a friend and an uncle, inspiring friends and former colleagues. A post capturing his journey through his life with can be found at: https//:chagal14.com/

Finally, but importantly, Blues was a cool guy who had an aura about him, erudite, calm and stylish. His life story was a saga, an oral novel that we never tired of. We were happy and proud to be his audience and characters. His telling was witty and fascinating, full of digressions, like life itself. Laughter was never far.

A heartfelt thank you to Staff at the Ottawa Heart Institute and Bruyère Health Saint Vincent Hospital who was outstanding at all levels and accompanied and comforted Blues in the final chapter of his life.

No service will be held but a Ceremony of life will held later in September.

Thank you for your donation to the Bruyere Foundation or The Ottawa Heart Institute.