George Francis Wallace Inrig
Judge, family man, genealogist, community organizer. Born on Aug. 22, 1929, in Picton, Ont.; died on May 21, 2016, in Picton, of complications following abdominal surgery, aged 86.
George Inrig began life weighing a scant four pounds but grew into a man who lived life to the fullest and contributed much to his community, serving as a judge of the Provincial Court of Ontario (Criminal Division) for more than 30 years.
Considered a compassionate and considerate judge, George received many letters from those who appeared before him attesting to this, and telling him of his influence on their lives. But his court room was occasionally less formal; he sometimes would hear presentations from lawyers with his eyes closed, giving the impression that he was sleeping. One such time, the presenting lawyer kept raising his voice to ascertain if George were indeed asleep, only to be told by His Honour that he was awake – but couldn't abide the colour of the lawyer's tie. A letter from a young boy whose class had visited the court and met Judge George was equally direct: "I always thought that judges were old and mean, but now I know that they are just old.
After earning a BA at Queen's University in Kingston and an LLB at Dalhousie University in Halifax, George attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas for a master's degree in comparative law. He was called to the bar of Nova Scotia in 1959 and taught at Dal for two years. He returned to Ontario and was called to the bar there in 1963 when he settled in Lindsay and became a partner of Leslie Frost, the former Ontario premier. In 1973, George was appointed to the bench in Lindsay.
Family was important to George, the fourth of six children, and he was a genealogist by desire. He traced the Inrig name back to the 15th century in northern Scotland, from whence his father emigrated in 1902. A historian by curiosity, he was an American Civil War buff who walked many battlefields of that conflict. He also wrote and spoke about the two world wars. For one Remembrance Day speech, he researched the names on the cenotaph in Lindsay, and spoke of the battles where the local boys fought and died.
Married and widowed twice, George kept it together with his two daughters, Lori and Cathy. He remarried and combined families. He delighted in his six grandchildren. His third wife, of 24 years, Elaine, cautioned that if she died before he did, there would be an investigation.
George loved people and was active in many community groups, including the Masons (a 33rd degree Mason), Kinsmen, Kiwanis Club, Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment Officers Association, Royal Canadian Legion, Canadian Club, and the Anglican Church. When he retired at 75 he became a more ardent gardener and created masterpieces with his designs, using hostas, irises, lilies and unique fences.
Before his judicial appointment, he was active in federal and provincial politics. He was a lifelong, staunch Conservative and Sir John A. Macdonald was his idol. In 2015, he helped to spearhead a committee to erect a statue of Sir John A in Picton, to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth. The statue stands today.
George believed in keeping journals, and when something memorable happened he would say, "Write it down!" His greatest gift to his family, a 631-page book of memoirs entitled "Who Cares!" was completed in 2013 for his grandchildren.
Elaine Inrig is George's wife.