Frank Edmund McArdle passed away peacefully on October 19, 2026, after a short decline. A devoted husband, father and grandfather, he lived a multi-faceted life. Whether playing semi-pro hockey, managing the General Motors account at McLaren Advertising, singing Danny Boy in his Irish tenor, or working with the mentally ill, he lived life with passion, gusto and compassion. He loved hockey, travel, opera, and his chainsaw. Above all, he loved people; his smile lit up the room, and his wise words brought comfort and counsel to many.
Frank was raised in Montreal and graduated from Loyola High School. Hockey was his passion and he excelled at it. He became captain of the Verdun Maple Leafs at seventeen and with his brother Joe was named a City of Montreal All Star. He played defence for the Quebec Aces and as a “Future Canadien”, took on the current Canadian champions in an exhibition game. (The Juniors lost.) Selected by the Montreal Canadiens, he declined the offer and took up a career in business and sales that ultimately led to a position with McLaren Advertising as Senior Account Supervisor on the General Motors Account in Toronto. A health crisis at age forty-five provoked a shift of perspective and a decision to become a lawyer. After graduating from law at the University of Western Ontario, he articled to Ombudsman Arthur Maloney and ultimately served as Interim Ombudsman for Ontario. He also served as ministerial assistant to the Honorable Allan Pope, Minister of Health for Ontario. Frank became Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies, where for twenty years he organized legal conferences for Canadian judges and lawyers at Queens’ College, Cambridge and Strasbourg. He served for twenty-five years as Executive Director of the Canadian Superior Court Judges Association. His final career was working to ensure just outcomes for mentally ill people in the criminal law system, as Alternate Chair of the Ontario Review Board – a sixteen-year stint that took him well beyond his 90th birthday.
Frank McArdle is survived by his wife of thirty-four years, the Right Honorable Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada; his sister Monica Martin; his children Lynn McArdle (Lee Dael) of West Kelowna, Jim McArdle (Sandie McArdle) of Ottawa, Wayne McArdle (Margie MacKinnon) of London U.K., and Angus McLachlin of Vancouver; his grandchildren Owen Dael, Austin Dael, Stef McArdle, Alex McArdle, Cameron McArdle, Jess McArdle, Alanna McArdle; and by five great-grandchildren, Brayden Sullivan, Alivia Dael, Will MacDiarmid, James MacDiarmid, and Mara McArdle. He was predeceased by his first wife Jacqueline McArdle (née Coté) and his brothers, Murray McArdle and Father Joseph McArdle.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday October 28 in the Sacred Space of the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, 280 Beechwood Ave. Ottawa, ON from 6 to 9 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday October 29, 2026 at Saint Patrick Basilica, 220 Kent Street, Ottawa, ON at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Schizophrenia Society of Canada.
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