| Birth date | 29 August 1918 |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Death date | 20 May 2009 (aged 90) |
| Resting place | National Military Cemetery, Beechwood, Canada |
| Spouse | Nevitt Maybee (née Black) |
| Occupation | Diplomat, Royal Canadian Navy officer |
| Office 1 | High Commissioner of Canada to India |
| Term start 1 | 13 June 1974 |
| Term end 1 | 31 May 1977 |
| Predecessor 1 | Bruce MacGillivray Williams |
| Successor 1 | Robert Louis Rogers |
| Order 1 | 8th |
| Monarch 1 | Elizabeth II |
| Prime minister 1 | Pierre Trudeau |
| Office 2 | 4th High Commissioner of Canada to Nepal |
| Term start 2 | 13 June 1974 |
| Term end 2 | 31 May 1977 |
| Predecessor 2 | Bruce MacGillivray Williams |
| Successor 2 | Robert Louis Rogers |
| Monarch 2 | Elizabeth II |
| Prime minister 2 | Pierre Trudeau |
| Office 3 | Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Syria |
| Term start 3 | 29 April 1965 |
| Term end 3 | 1 August 1967 |
| Predecessor 3 | Office established |
| Successor 3 | Christian Hardy |
| Order 3 | 1st |
| Monarch 3 | Elizabeth II |
| Prime minister 3 | Lester B. Pearson |
| Office 4 | 1st Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Jordan |
| Term start 4 | 2 December 1964 |
| Term end 4 | 1 August 1967 |
| Predecessor 4 | Office established |
| Successor 4 | Christian Hardy |
| Monarch 4 | Elizabeth II |
| Prime minister 4 | Lester B. Pearson |
| Office 5 | Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Lebanon |
| Term start 5 | 11 June 1964 |
| Term end 5 | 1 August 1967 |
| Predecessor 5 | Paul André Beaulieu |
| Successor 5 | Christian Hardy |
| Monarch 5 | Elizabeth II |
| Prime minister 5 | Lester B. Pearson |
John 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
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
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
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
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
John Ryerson Maybee died on 20 May 2009, and was laid to rest in the National Military Cemetery at Beechwood.
See also
References
- ^ "AAmbassador and Naval officer - John Ryerson Maybee". Beechwood Cemetery. 22 March 2024. Archived 16 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ "John Maybee". Ottawa Citizen. 21 May 2009. Archived 27 February 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ "Obituary: The eventful life of Ottawa's Nevitt Maybee". Ottawa Citizen. Archived 7 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ "John Ryerson Maybee". Legacy.com. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ "Canadian Heads of Mission Abroad since 1800: Maybee, John Ryerson (career)". Global Affairs Canada. Archived 1 July 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ International Perspectives. Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies. 1974. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ "A Beechwood History of the Foreign Service". Beechwood Cemetery. Retrieved 3 November 2024.