Provan "Pro" Anderson Wylie

Born on July 5, 1938, at Guelph General Hospital, Provan was the son of the late Peter Wylie (1965) and Norma Anderson (2004). He was predeceased by his sister Patricia (2005) (Mark)(2009) and his brother Paul (2016).

Provan is now reunited with his beloved wife, Linda Rae (Theaker) (2024), whom he married on September 7, 1968, at Dublin Street United Church. Together, Linda and Provan raised two daughters, Lesley Wylie (Tony) and Laura Lavallee (Nick). He was grandfather to six grandchildren, including Thomas and James, who especially adored their grandpa.

Provan attended Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute (GCVI), where he developed a keen interest in both the military and the lumber business. During his time at GCVI, he was awarded the Outstanding Cadet Trophy and joined the 11th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) as a Gunner. At the same time, he worked after school and on weekends at Beaver Lumber.

While attending Ryerson Institute of Technology, Provan participated in the Canadian Officers’ Training Corps (COTC). He graduated in 1961 with a certificate in Business Administration and received the Queen’s Commission as a Second Lieutenant. In 1963, he had the honour of being presented to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in London, England.

Provan enjoyed a distinguished 54-year career in the lumber and building materials industry, working with Beaver Lumber, Regent Plywoods, Canfor Building Materials, Cashway Building Centres, and Castle Building Centres Group Limited. He served as President, Castle Building Centres until his retirement in 2008. Throughout his career, he received numerous awards recognizing his contributions to the industry, including induction into the Lumber Building Material Association of Ontario Hall of Fame and the 50 Year Gold Hammer Award from Estwing for dedicated service to the hardware industry.

A “summer place,” as Provan liked to call it, was an important part of his life. His first cottage was in Hope Bay on Georgian Bay, and later in Southampton on Lake Huron. There he enjoyed fishing, boating, and spending time on the beach with family and friends, treasured memories that spanned more than 50 years.

Fishing, especially fly fishing, was his favourite pastime. Local streams around Guelph provided his earliest lessons from his father and grandfather. Later, his fishing travels took him from the Serpentine River in Newfoundland to the West Coast, including Langara Island in the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Provan was Past President of the Guelph and District Probus Club and a long-serving member of the Guelph Wellington Men’s Club. He was also a member of the Companions of the Quaich (single malt scotch), where he and Linda enjoyed several trips to Scotland, and of “The Billies,” a Guelph group of like-minded gentlemen.

Private interment has taken place. A Celebration of Pro’s Life will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 1:00 pm at Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Funeral Home – Dublin Chapel (252 Dublin. St. N., Guelph) followed by a reception at Cutten Fields (190 College Ave. E., Guelph). Donations to Hospice Wellington, Canadian Cancer Society or Ronald McDonald House would be appreciated by the family.

A sincere thank you to all the people Pro met along life’s journey. The friendships and connections he made over the years enriched his life and were a big part of what made it so wonderful.

"Till we meet again, Slàinte"