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John Ryerson Maybee

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John Ryerson Maybee
8th High Commissioner of Canada to India
In office
13 June 1974 – 31 May 1977
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterPierre Trudeau
Preceded byBruce MacGillivray Williams
Succeeded byRobert Louis Rogers
4th High Commissioner of Canada to Nepal
In office
13 June 1974 – 31 May 1977
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterPierre Trudeau
Preceded byBruce MacGillivray Williams
Succeeded byRobert Louis Rogers
1st Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Syria
In office
29 April 1965 – 1 August 1967
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byChristian Hardy
1st Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Jordan
In office
2 December 1964 – 1 August 1967
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byChristian Hardy
Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Lebanon
In office
11 June 1964 – 1 August 1967
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson
Preceded byPaul André Beaulieu
Succeeded byChristian Hardy
Personal details
Born29 August 1918
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died20 May 2009(2009-05-20) (aged 90)
Resting placeNational Military Cemetery, Beechwood, Canada
SpouseNevitt Maybee (née Black)
Children5
OccupationDiplomat, Royal Canadian Navy officer

John "Jack" Ryerson Maybee (29 August 1918 – 20 May 2009) was a Canadian diplomat and Royal Canadian Navy officer.

Over his diplomatic career, he served as the Canadian ambassador to several countries, contributing to Canada’s foreign relations during the period following the Second World war.[1]

Early life and education

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John Ryerson Maybee was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and educated in Alberta, British Columbia, and at the University of Toronto. He later attended Princeton University, where he received his Ph.D. in Letters in 1942.[2]

He married Nevitt Black, daughter of Davidson Black, on 4 August 1945 and had 5 children with her.[3]

Military service

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Following his graduation, Maybee joined the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, serving as a navigation officer on the North Atlantic.

The Battle of the Atlantic (1939–1945) marked the longest continuous battle of the war, with Allied and Axis forces contesting control over vital shipping routes. Canada played a role in escorting convoys across the Atlantic, and Maybee was among the Canadians who participated to ensure the safe passage of essential supplies to Europe.[1]

Diplomatic career

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After the war, Maybee transitioned to a career in diplomacy, joining Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs.

His career included postings in China, Australia and the United States.[4][better source needed]

His work as a diplomat extended to the Middle East and South Asia, where he served as Canada’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, as well as Canada's High Commissioner to India and Nepal.[5][6]

Later life and contributions

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Upon retiring from his diplomatic career in 1978, Maybee studied journalism at Carleton University before becoming editor of Crosstalk, the newspaper of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa.[4] He remained active within his church, serving as a chorister, warden, and Sunday school teacher.[7]

Death and legacy

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John Ryerson Maybee died on 20 May 2009, and was laid to rest in the National Military Cemetery at Beechwood.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Ambassador and Naval Officer John Ryerson Maybee". Beechwood Cemetery. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  2. ^ "John Maybee". Ottawa Citizen. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  3. ^ "The eventful life of Ottawa's Nevitt Maybee". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b "John Ryerson Maybee". Legacy.com. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Canadian Heads of Mission Abroad since 1800 - Posting Dashboard". Government of Canada. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  6. ^ International Perspectives. Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies. 1974. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  7. ^ "A Beechwood History of the Foreign Service" (PDF). Beechwood Cemetery. Retrieved 3 November 2024.