It is with a shattered heart that I share the unexpected passing of Richard (Rick) Norman Dias Hallam at Riverside Hospital, Fort Frances, Ont. on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the age of 78 with beloved friends and family by his side.
Richard was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in an area called Gosforth, U.K. the second of five children. He moved to Canada in 1953, traveling on the Cunard Line ship Scythia with his Mother (Joy), Father (Harry), and older brother (Robert) then across Canada by train to Langley, B.C., where the family eventually settled.
Richard learned the skills of the carpentry trade at a young age, working alongside his father and older brother. He graduated high school in Langley, B.C. and began his three-year carpentry apprenticeship in 1965 at B.C. Vocational institute. The following twenty years he worked in the building trades starting as Construction superintendent and General foreman but quickly moving to Construction Manager and Project manager of various large projects in Northern B.C.; East Kootenays, B.C., and on the west coast.
In 1984, Richard changed career directions completely and was recruited as a Canada Border Services Officer at the Customs ports of Roosville and Cranbrook, B.C., where he remained until 1998. Having fallen in love with Rainy Lake where he and Val were married on her parents island in 1991, Richard agreed to a permanent move to Fort Frances, excited about being close to family after such a long time away. Here he returned to construction and worked as Construction Superintendent and Carpenter foreman for TMG and Sam Veltri Construction, working on construction of the new high school.
In 1999 he was hired as the Superintendent of Planning and Development for the Town of Fort Frances where he again turned to study and received Provincial Certification as a Certified Building Officer (CBCO). Here he remained until retirement in 2013, when he could hardly wait to hang his own consultant shingle as Hallam Construction Consulting Services and then contracted to Alberton, Emo and Rainy River as the Building Official. Richard loved his work and all of the professionals in the building trades he met and/or worked with. He was educated, smart, funny, kind, loyal, fair, social, a perfectionist – passionate about so many things.
In April 2025, he finally did agree to truly retire and enjoy this summer in the new camper at Parkview in Nestor Falls, but it was too late, and sadly he did not get to enjoy either one day of retirement nor one day at that new camper.
Richard enjoyed being outdoors fishing, and hunting weeks with his besties. One can’t forget to mention his love and enjoyment of special deer herds that showed up every day in the winter to rob bird feeders on the deck while he videoed them. A whole day of Oldies 50’s music as well as 40’s big band was most times blasting if he was in his truck usually singing along. He will be remembered as being generous; a (tall) story teller; a jokester; a helper to anyone; able to fix anything or sometimes invent a new way to do things. Rich was a devoted and proud Cat Daddy; and a loyal friend. He was the guy who would stop the car if he saw a senior shovelling snow and go finish it for them. Importantly, Richard was a kind, romantic, patient husband who enjoyed a glass of Crown or Scotch – a “Cheers, I love you” Happy Hour each day at the appointed time and place, and with those people he loved the most.
Devastated and left to mourn his death are his wife of 35 years Valerie (Taffy – nee Cyr); daughter Lisa; grandson Curtis; great-grandsons Taylor and Nicholas; sisters Rita Koldingess (Thane) and Rhonda Hogg (Don); brother Russell Hallam; mother Joy; sister-in-law Wendy Cyr; special friends Lynn and Mary; Cathy; Ed; Wayne; Len; Doug and Dave. He is also survived by several loving nieces and nephews and cousins in Canada, United States and the U.K.
Richard is predeceased by his father Harry Hallam; brother Robert Hallam; son Travis Hallam; brother Bob Hayward; mother and father-in-law Mabel and Bud (Mervyn) Cyr.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, June 7, at 1:00 p.m. at Knox United Church, Fort Frances, Ont. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Richards name to BEST FOR KITTY, 308 Fifth St.W., Fort Frances, On. P9A 3S1 .
Arrangements entrusted to Northridge Funeral Home Ltd., Emo, Ontario.
“Life’s unpredictability teaches us the importance of living fully and loving deeply.”
Rest easy, my love.
