We, the family, welcome you to provide your thoughts, memories, and photos on Brian's Tribute Wall.

Brian Locker was born on November 22, 1948, in Hamilton, Ontario. He passed shortly after his 75th birthday on December 3, 2023, following his struggle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Brian was born the second son of Melvin and Josephine and was raised in Woodburn, a small community in southern Ontario. His siblings Alvin (deceased), Patricia, and Diane enjoyed a loving childhood filled with family, friends, and many stories to tell.  Everyone was welcome at the Locker house as Mel and Jo were well known for their hospitality - whether it was dropping in for a meal or a lively house party with Mel on guitar. If you stayed long enough you may have played a dart game, euchre, or possibly cribbage. Brian played many years of hockey and baseball with brother Alvin. It wasn't all play as Brian was always proud of his early days working on neighbours' farms. Early travel involved trips west to grandma McCarty's farm near Vegreville, Alberta, where Jo grew up; Sunday picnics near the Early farm in Ontario where Mel was raised; and summer holidays at one of Uncle Vic's cabins on Carson Lake, at the edge of Algonquin Park.

Brian went on to study engineering at the University of Western Ontario and graduated first in his class with a Master's in Environmental Engineering. He often said that the passing of his brother, Alvin, who lost his life in an industrial accident at the age of 23, inspired Brian to educate himself and others in accident investigation. Brian wrote a book recently, Staying Alive, which was a culmination of his life's work.  His career spanned over half a century.  He investigated over 35 fatalities, serious injuries, and near misses in his life.  Brian remembered everyone and because of his brother's death, he took them all personally.  He spent 48 years investigating incidents globally and taught for 25 years, teaching root cause analysis to thousands of students, travelling to 35 countries.  Although most of his life was lived in Canada, Brian lived over a decade in the Middle East.  He will be missed by his colleagues from Ontario Hydro, Tap Root & Saudi Aramco, who would tell you that he was an inspiring leader and a great friend. Brian was a principled man and those who worked with him could count on his methodical approach to a task and on his integrity.

Brian's love of teaching and travelling was surpassed by his love of family. He raised his sons, Marty (Dawn) and Tory, with his first wife Louise Locker, and his daughters, Katherine and Patricia, with Stephanie Locker, his second wife, also in Ontario. His four surviving children and four grandchildren, Courtney, Jackson, Michael, and Paulina, will miss him tremendously. He will also be mourned by his siblings, Pat and Diane, his brothers-in-law, Bruce and Rick, and nieces and nephews, Josh, Rachel, Danny, Michael, Shannon and Samantha.

Brian touched many lives both professionally and personally.  The family has received many heartfelt messages from friends and colleagues who cherish their relationship with Brian.

When not with his family, teaching, or writing, Brian loved spending time outdoors boating, golfing, and most recently motorcycling to visit the warm beaches of Asia. Brian loved animals; his canine companions were very dear to him.  His recent leukemia brought him to Calgary from Thailand where his sister Patricia and brother-in-law Bruce, provided safety, comfort, care, and of course – Italian pasta, his favourite.

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers for Brian and his family. Brian's family is grateful to the medical teams at Tom Baker Cancer Centre and also to the wonderful ICU team at Foothills Medical Centre who recently took special care of him.

He was so optimistic and did everything he could to overcome his last health challenge.  Brian is gone too soon.  He did not have a chance to say goodbye to everyone or finish his latest projects.  If he could impart a message, it would be to stay positive, never give up, and cherish your journey through life.

Brian would have wanted everyone to be encouraged to donate blood. He mentioned many times how important blood donations were during his treatment.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Brian John Locker, please visit our Tree Store.