Gary Kenneth McRae
February 9, 2026
On February 9, 2026, Gary Kenneth McRae of Goderich passed from the loving arms of his family to the loving arms of his Lord.
He is survived by his loving and adored wife and partner for life, Nancy (née Campbell). Cherished father to daughters Susan McRae (Kate) of Hamilton, Karen Brown (Sean) of Tillsonburg, and Julie Moon (Chris) of Newmarket. He will be lovingly remembered, each in their own way, by his grandchildren, Julia (Connor) Kiera (Matt), Logan Brown, Sammy and Luna Moon and his adorable great-granddaughter Charlotte Carothers. Family was very important to Gary. He is also survived by his sister, Marlene Fairbairn of Oakville. Gary was born and raised in Glencoe, Ontario. He was predeceased by his parents, Kenneth and Irene McRae of Glencoe, and by his brother-in-law, Michael Fairbairn of Oakville. He was also predeceased by his father-in-law and mother-in-law Donald and Bernice Campbell. He will be remembered by numerous sisters and brothers-in-law and their families, and by his nephews Jeff and David Fairbairn and their families.
After graduating from Glencoe District High School, Gary worked for the Bank of Montreal for ten years prior to joining the Western Fair Association in 1975. He retired in 2011 as Chief Executive Officer. During his career at Western Fair he served as President of Racetracks Canada, President of the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions. He was named to the Roll of Honour of CAFÉ and he was inducted into the IAFE Hall of Fame. Gary loved the fair industry, particularly the carnival business. He travelled extensively and formed many friendships in the industry. Gary was also actively involved in Tourism London and the Rotary Clubs of London and Goderich.
A memorial service will be held at Westview Funeral Home and Cremation Centre, 709 Wonderland Road North, London, on Friday, February 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.
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It was a pleasure to know him as a neighbour in Palm Hill, Largo Florida. Hugs to Nancy!
Thinking of you in such a difficult time Nancy. You have support from family and friends and old friends.
I worked for Gary at WFA for many years both in the Mutuals and at the annual Fair. He will be greatly missed by anyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
Dear Susan and the McRae family, Thinking of you and sending my condolences.
A donation has been made. Message from the donator: On behalf of the Canadian National Exhibition Association (CNEA), we extend our deepest condolences to your family during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with you, and we honor Gary’s memory through this donation to the Canadian Cancer Society. His remarkable contributions to the fairs industry will not be forgotten.
My sincerest heartfelt condolences to Nancy and to Gary's extended family. Always a solid figure and champion in the fair industry and, most importantly, in life. May he rest now.🙏🏻
Nancy, Im so sorry to hear you have lost Garry. I send my most sincere condolences to you and your family. Sorry I have not kept in touch. Rest in Peace Gary. 🙏🙏. Bruce
On behalf of Western Fair Association, we extend our deepest condolences on the passing of Gary. During this difficult time, please know that our thoughts are with you and your family. Gary’s lasting impact and legacy will be remembered and appreciated by all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. In honour of Gary, Western Fair Association has made a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society. With heartfelt sympathy,
I offer sincere condolences to Gary’s family and friends. When I was a newbie in fair management, Gary took me under his wing. He was always only a phone call away with advice and encouragement. He had a big heart and a great laugh. May he rest in well-deserved peace.
Sincere condolences Nancy and family. I truly enjoyed my visits with Gary during the Western Fair days. He deserves all the recognitions he received over his time. He is and will be truly missed.
Our sincere sympathies. Gary was a kind and gentle man. He will be remembered and missed
Nancy and family, Janet and I extend our deepest condolences. My association with Gary through Western Fair was a fabulous experience for me. He was a visionary in the Exhibition and Fair business and respected all across North America. We were so proud of him receiving industry recognition and induction into the IAFE Hall of Fame. Janet and I are out of country until the end of March and won’t be able to attend Gary’s service but know our hearts will be with you.
Sincere condolences Nancy and family.. Thinking of you at this sad time. RIP Gary
Nancy and family, we are saddened to learn of Gary’s passing. Gary was always a very supportive boss to me and the many employees of the Western Fair Association. He possessed the ability to balance the needs of the business and those of our employees, always supporting employee building events which were fun and helped create a cooperative workplace. He was a visionary and I remember his passion for such projects as the IMAX Theatre and the Sports Centre. His legacy is he will be known as “Gary the Builder”. He changed the face of Western Fair to what it is today. It was a pleasure to work with him as his Assistant General Manager and Human Resources Officer. We worked well together. He was not only a respected colleague but also a friend.
Services for Gary Kenneth McRae
Memorial Service will be held at:
Westview Funeral Home & Cremation Centre
709 Wonderland Road North,
London, Ontario
February 13, 2026 1:00 pm
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Gary and Nancy were a big part of our lives while we were in Palm Hills, Florida. We went to dances with them, we golfed with them, we listened to Eddie Coffey with them and attended church suppers together. Gary and Doug often poured through Harbor Freight offerings while Nancy and I chuckled at their apparently valuable freebies. Gary and Nancy were the best reason to be at Palm Hills. We will certainly miss Gary. He was one of a kind.
~ Kathleen Michels and Doug Smith