Ted Itani

{{Short description|Canadian military officer and humanitarian (1939–2021)}} '''Tetsuo''' "'''Ted'''" '''Itani''', CM (June 23, 1939 – March 22, 2021) was a Canadian military officer and humanitarian, who was inducted as a Member of the Order of Canada in 2016.<ref name=capital>[https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/seven-capital-area-residents-on-latest-order-of-canada-list "Seven capital-area residents on latest Order of Canada list"]. ''Ottawa Citizen'', February 11, 2016.</ref>

== Biography == Born on Vancouver Island to immigrant parents from Japan, his family was forcibly relocated as part of the Japanese internment in Canada during World War II.<ref name=elite>[http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/life/article_b42ec4e0-e1cc-11e5-b4f1-77ed3d5da3cf.html "Once shunned by Canada, Ted Itani now among country's honoured elite"]. ''Kelowna Daily Courier'', March 3, 2016.</ref> After their release from the internment camp, the family settled in Kelowna, British Columbia, where he joined the Royal Canadian Army Cadets.<ref name=elite /> He served in the Canadian military for over three decades, reaching the rank of major by the time of his retirement in the early 1990s.<ref name=elite />

While in the military, he married writer Frances (Hill) Itani in 1967.<ref>{{cite web |title=Frances Itani |url=https://advancereadingcopy-jon.blogspot.com/2015/01/frances-itani.html |website=advancereadingcopy-jon.blogspot.com/ |accessdate=June 24, 2020}}</ref> They resided in Ottawa, Ontario.<ref name=elite />

Following his retirement, he undertook humanitarian work with the International Red Cross,<ref name=elite /> and worked as a peacekeeping educator for the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre.<ref name=capital />

In early January 2021, he was hospitalized with serious brain and lung injuries after being struck by the mirror of an OC Transpo bus while out for a run. He died in hospital on March 22, 2021, at the age of 81.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/a-role-model-of-service-ted-itani-81-died-months-after-being-hit-by-oc-transpo-bus|title = 'A role model of service,' Ted Itani, 81, died months after being hit by OC Transpo bus|author=Andrew Duffy|website=Ottawa Citizen|date=April 10, 2021}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Itani, Ted}} Category:1939 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Canadian Army officers Category:Canadian people of Japanese descent Category:Japanese-Canadian internees Category:Members of the Order of Canada Category:Canadian military personnel from British Columbia Category:People from Kelowna Category:People from Vancouver Island Category:Military personnel from Ottawa Category:Road incident deaths in Canada Category:Pedestrian road incident deaths