Professor Stairs was a post doctoral fellow in the Frank Pipkin group at Harvard during much of my PhD thesis experiment in 1963-1964.   Professor Stairs was a very fine mentor and advisor, especially for an at-times floundering graduate student.   
My sincere condolences to his family. 
Louis J. Lanzerotti
New Vernon, New Jersey

To the family of Douglas Stairs,
 
I was Professor Stairs' secretary in the McGill Physics Department from 1986 to 2000. He was one of the most decent and kind people I've known. It was a pleasure to work with him. I offer my most sincere condolences on his passing.

Lynda Corkum


Dear Doug,
     I am so sorry that I have to miss the celebration of your life tomorrow. Here, when I close my eyes, I can see you listening attentively what others are saying. When you talk, you always speak gently, direct to the point. Your words command understanding and respects. 
     You have devoted all your research carrier promoting high energy physics, initially at McGill, and then across Canada. You are one of the founders of the Canadian Institute of Particle Physics that supports and coordinates research efforts in this field. You are always the enthusiastic supporter for the construction of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory and the research efforts with it. This eventually brought the Physics Nobel Prize to Canada. Your work will continue benefit Canadian research and inspire Canadian young people for years to come. This is indeed a life worth celebrating.
     Jonathan

Dear Ingrid, my condolences on the passing of your father. 
I hope you are well. I have fond memories of our years together at Saint-Lambert Elementary and your house on Putney Street. Your father must have been very proud of your academic and career achievements, following in his footsteps.
May he rest in peace.
Catherine Tremblay

Jo Ann and I send our heartfelt condolences. Douglas was a good friend to my father; giving him great intellectual joy from their numerous visits at every family occasion.
God places special people in our midst and Doug is one of them.
Our prayers are
With you, Birgit.
- Rev Remo Madsen.

Thank you, Professor Stairs, for fantastic physics classes at McGill.
Anne Dupont Salter, 1990 grad.

Dear Birgit,
I am so sorry I can’t be at the celebration of Doug’s life – just too hard for us and the children and grand-children to cancel train, hotel and theatre reservations for our long-planned family reunion in Toronto. But my thoughts and Mickey’s are with you at this difficult time.

I think Sanyong said in his email that Doug was a great pillar of the Department. The word is right. So much was naturally built around him, and because of him, within the Department, and in the Canadian high energy physics community.   Not only because he was an excellent  physicist, not only because he had good ideas and sound judgment but also because he was a  fair, wise and upright man. He was trusted and respected by all of us. He could be demanding and he set very high standards,  for himself first  and   for those around him. 

For me, he was always there- a pillar. He steered us through turbulent times – best forgotten. And through happy times – easy to remember. Some recollections - just personal snapshots:

When he first came to McGill:   a beautiful experiment at the Foster Radiation Laboratory on proton-proton brehmsstralung. I remember this because it was so different from what the Lab was used to doing, and because Doug showed such a good command of theory as well as experimental technique.  And of course it was such good physics.

When we were together on ABOT ( advisory committee on TRIUMF) at the time of the KAON project: his wise, knowledgeable stabilizing influence on discussions and decisions that could be difficult.

When he came to borrow a book on General Relativity:  so that he could better follow Ingrid’s work.

When he and Birgit held their wonderful luncheons in their beautiful garden for us mostly “older” colleagues.

From Mickey: he and she both remembering hurricane Hazel. 

I will miss Doug very much, he was a unique and very wonderful person.

Nick 


Birgit, Ingrid, John & family,

Words may not suffice to express the heartfelt sorrow that we feel for the passing of Douglas. In this sorrowful time, we would like to extend to you our heartfelt condolences.

A great man has left this earth but will forever be in our hearts. Douglas (or as our kids call him Mr. Stairs) was such a kind soul, who will be greatly missed by all of us.

We are honored to have known Douglas, not as a neighbor but more like a family member, for more than fifteen years. We will miss his helpful advice. Great memories will live on.

Rana, Masoud, Ryan, Aiden & Ella Rose

We wish we could be present at this memorial gathering for Doug.  Knowing him was such an uplifting experience for both of us.  He and Brigit always greeted us with such warmth and kindness.  He will be greatly missed.
Love Subal and Tutu

I am very sorry for your loss. You have my greatest sympathy.

Doug Stairs had a huge influence on me. He taught me particle physics and electricity and magnetism at McGill. I subsequently spent my working life as a particle physicist. I was on the Institute of Particle Physics council while he was the director. Later I became the director and Doug was the president. Throughout all of these experiences, Doug was a scholar and wonderful person to learn from. He was always helpful and went out of his way to do the right thing. He really made a difference for me and many other people.

Brigitte, Ingrid and John

Sincere sympathy from Janet and me.
Doug was a great scientist and highly respected by everyone in the subatomic physics community in Canada for his wisdom and integrity. He made many contributions to the field during his long career and clearly loved his work expanding our knowledge of the world around us. He will be missed by his many friends as well as by you, his close family.

Sincerely 
Art and Janet McDonald

Doug was a kind and caring mentor to students, a wonderful colleague, and a pillar of the Canadian Particle Physics community. He will be missed.

When Doug first came to McGill he taught me. I was then an honours Math-Physics undergraduate. He was a  very inspiring teacher. I owe a great deal to Doug. 
Calvin S Kalman Prof  Concordia University 

Without a doubt, Douglas Stairs was the most important professor for the 1967 Honours Physics class. He inspired many of us to go onto graduate school, and advised us on applications and helped by providing letters of recommendation. He joined us at our 40th and 50th reunions and we were honoured by his presence.

Dear Birgit and family,

Please accept our sincere condolences on the passing of Douglas.

I'll always remember his kind manner, and his ready smile.

May you find comfort in the memories you have of him. 

Sincerely, 

Harvey and Janet Carter

Dear Birgit & family,

Was so sorry to hear of your dear Douglas,dad & grandad passing.

Our thoughts & prayers are with you at this time.

Millie & Jim McGowan

OBITUARIO

Douglas Grant Stairs

13 noviembre, 1933 – 19 febrero, 2023

Collins Clarke MacGillivray White Funeral Homes

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