June 23, 1939 – Mar 22, 2021
With immense sorrow we announce the death of our beloved Ted, husband, father and grandfather, at the age of 81, victim of a tragic accident sustained while out running the evening of January 12/21. He survived 10 weeks in hospital but succumbed to multiple traumatic injuries and other underlying causes.
Ted’s journey began (born Sansei, 3rd generation Japanese Canadian) in Ucluelet, B.C., son of Takeo Itani (commercial fisherman), and Sumako Oye. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Ted’s family was forcibly removed from their home, taking only the possessions they could carry. They were confined in primitive stables in Hastings Park, Vancouver, until months later when they were moved and incarcerated in a camp in East Lillooet on the Fraser River, 1942. Having lost their civil rights – though all were Canadian citizens – they remained in B.C.’s interior until after the end of the war. By then, their confiscated possessions had been sold off.
Ted’s later childhood was spent in Westbank, BC. As a young man, he began a 37-year career with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). He served with NATO in Europe on 3 separate assignments and held command, staff and instructional posts in Canada and abroad. He graduated from the Canadian Army Staff College, NATO Defense College in Rome, International Institute of Humanitarian Law, San Remo, Italy. He pursued language studies in French, Russian, Japanese, Arabic, Spanish, Italian, and German. Recently, he attended the Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative at Dalhousie. Ted served as Commanding Officer of the 1st Airborne Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery, of the Canadian Airborne Regiment (Edmonton 1972-74). UN missions included long periods in the Horn of Africa, Pakistan, Iran/Iraq, the former Yugoslavia. He held various jobs as Faculty Member, Peacekeeper and UN Monitor. He was awarded the Order of Military Merit in 1991, and in 2015 was appointed to the Order of Canada.
Ted made an early decision to commit himself to justice, peace and gender equality. He overcame adversity and prejudice, and with wisdom and humour, worked selflessly to help others. He had enormous inner strength, and no fear of making tough decisions. After retirement from the CAF (1994), he began a 26-year career in humanitarian aid work with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies, and Canadian Red Cross (CRC). For 17 years, he took on various roles with the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre, helping to design and deliver training courses conducted around the world. In 1995 he supported efforts to negotiate a mine-ban convention, which came to fruition in the 1997 Ottawa Treaty. He worked for the ICRC until 2004, including a 2 ½-year mission in Central Asia, based in Tashkent, his territory covering Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan and Turkmenistan. In Geneva, he worked on the Missing People Project, and as advisor on International Humanitarian Law and diplomacy. With the Canadian Red Cross, he led responses to natural disasters including Sri Lanka and Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami; 2005-06 earthquake relief in Pakistan; Operations Coordinator with Pakistan Red Crescent Society in Baluchistan (2008 earthquake); and Pakistan during the 2010 floods. He worked for the US State Department Global Peace Operations Initiative as Subject Matter Expert and threw his energy into his work, whether it was classroom or field. He left his mark in many places, including Haiti, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia. In his last years he was a committed Red Cross mentor and Volunteer. To quote a colleague: “He was dignified, respectful of people and honourable.”
Ted and Frances eloped in Montreal in 1967 and moved about Canada and the world together, including 3 years in Heidelberg, Germany, while working and raising Russell and Sam. Ted is deeply mourned by his loving wife of 53 years, Frances Susan Itani in Ottawa ON. He was a steady and gentle guiding presence for his children and grandchildren: son, Russell James Satoshi Itani (Aileen), and granddaughter Frances Michiko Itani, Copenhagen, DK; and daughter, Samantha Leiko Itani (Paul), and granddaughters Campbell Itani Smith and Tate Itani Smith, Lindsay, ON. Ted is survived by sister, Nancy Teruko Minato (Dick), and brother, Bing Tsuyoshi Itani (predeceased by Carol). Siblings who predeceased him: Tom Taketoshi Itani (Beryl), Linda Teruyo Terai (Isao), Anne Terumi Murata (Kazuya), and Violet Toyoko Itani. Ted is loved and respected by cousins, nieces and nephews, and mourned by colleagues and friends around the world. He was a lifetime runner and completed many marathons, including the original route in Greece, and the Boston Marathon. He will be missed by his running partners, and by his fishing buddies in PEI.
Ted’s wishes were to be cremated. When it is safe to do so, a Memorial Gathering will be held for Family, Friends and Colleagues at Beechwood, Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Services, 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa, ON. Please visit www.beechwoodottawa.ca for further details to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, a donation could be made in Ted’s name to the Canadian Red Cross, International Disaster Relief Fund (redcross.ca/donate; or by calling 1-800-418-1111; or by cheque indicating ‘IDRF’ to National Processing Centre, P.O. Box 39, Saint John, NB. E2L 3X3.
Digital Guestbook
Alex Mills
Melinda Wells
Ted was a mentor and friend to me, I met him in my first week at Canadian Red Cross, and we worked together on the ICRC Missing project. He absolutely contributed to my understanding of what it means to be a humanitarian and I will always remember him, his kind ways, and ready anecdotes. My love and deepest condolences to all who loved him, this is an enormous loss for our community.
Ann Clancy
Heartfelt condolences Frances and all of Ted's family. Ted's kind and gentle soul and deep knowledge and expertise will be greatly missed at the Canadian Red Cross. It was such an honour and privilege to have known Ted and to benefit from his mentoring and wisdom. Our thoughts are with all of you at this very sad time.
Peggy Mason
I first met Ted at the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre where we worked together on several different courses. It is hard to put into words the quiet strength and depth of caring humanity that he exuded. It was always wonderful to run into him in Ottawa, on the bus or the street, and exchange a few words. Yes, the world has lost a great humanitarian, a great human being, but his bright memory will live on it our hearts. My deepest condolences to his family.
Paul Hannon
This is very sad news. My deepest condolences to his family. I met Ted as a campaigner working for a ban on landmines many years ago. We have stayed in touch ever since and have worked together on a treaty banning cluster munitions and most recently autonomous weapons. Ted was possibly the most decent person I have ever met. He was very committed to and proud of his work with the Red Cross.
Robin Collins
I am sorry to hear of Ted's tragic death and offer my sincere sympathies to his family. I met Ted once or twice, briefly, once when he attended a brain-storming meeting in support of work for the anti-personnel mine treaty. Mr. Itani was also one of the co-authors of the ICRC book AP Mines: Friend or Foe, a critical study of the utility of mines during war as compared to their post-war impact. Many of us believe this document was crucial in moving the discourse forward at a key moment in 1996, and what allowed governments to work for a full ban treaty. Many thousands of lives have been saved as a result.
Claire and David J.E. Scrivens
Frances, you and I were Classmates at the Montreal General Hospital's School of Nursing and met at age 19, I think. I'm grateful for our getting to know each other better, finally, within the last decade or so. I never met Ted, but felt I knew him through our conversations and notes to each other. David and I were looking forward to getting together with you and Ted once the Pandemic was over.
You are, and was always, a wonderful person, gentle, caring and deeply understanding of humanity. I was so happy that you had met and married such a wonderful man, as deeply caring for his fellow human beings and as deeply committed to helping the world become a better place, as you are, Frances. David and I were bowled over by the terrible news, and as a couple who are devoted to each other, we mourn with you for your terrible loss. The world is a poorer place without him and a richer world for his contributions to human kind.
With Love,
Claire
Norma Cody
Frances, my deepest sympathy to you and your family
Jamie Arbuckle
Ted was a great officer, friend and colleague. He and I sat on many cold muddy hills, waiting for villains. I am only sorry that the relative remoteness from each other of our homes prevented us from a closer contact in recent years. I will miss him greatly.
Larry Scanlan
Tetsuo Itani was a marvel. Interned with his family at the age of two, excluded, isolated, deprived, subjected to racism. And how did he respond? Not with any bitterness but by a lifetime of humble service and compassion. Look at all the languages he studied: seven. Disaster relief, banning mines, peace keeping, teaching, mentoring. Ted and Frances were an inspiration -- always on the right side of every issue. I mourn not just the passing of Ted but the loss of that energetic and extraordinary partnership. My thoughts are with Frances, her children and grandchildren and all who loved this exemplary human being.
Lois and I send our condolences to Frances and family. Ted will be dearly missed.
I originally met Ted on the Officer Candidate Program at CFB Borden and CFB Shilo and served with him again in Germany and The Canadian Airborne Regiment. He was a perfect gentleman and sincere friend. I will always remember when Ted (in dress blues) attended my father's funeral in Eganville Ontario in 1962 and helped me give him, a WW I & WW II veteran, a proper send off. Thank you Ted. Airborne. RIP.