Black Bear Ridge owner and designer Brian Magee (1943-2020)

Brian Magee, the founder, designer and owner of Black Bear Ridge Golf Club in Belleville, has died, just a few weeks short of his 77th birthday.

Following is a notice from Black Bear Ridge on Brian’s passing:

Brian Robert Boyd Leger MAGEE (August 12, 1943 – July 17, 2020)

Brian passed away gently on July 17, 2020 in Belleville, ON. He was loved and will be deeply missed by his wife Susan, his two best accomplishments, children Brendan (Kelly Magee) and Diana (Jonathan Klinkhoff), and his grandson Jack.

He lived his life fully, filling it with days on the driving range and endless buckets of balls at Rosedale Golf Club, long hours on the Restigouche river battling Atlantic salmon in the “million-dollar pool”, hunting with friends and colleagues at Nicholson Island, and weeks under the Florida sun in Lost Tree Village. He was the proud designer and owner of award-winning Black Bear Ridge Golf Course (his second-best accomplishment). He had a vision for a beautiful parkland golf course, and he would have been delighted to see it continue being used and enjoyed. He was unfailingly generous to those around him and always quick to joke.

We are forever thankful to his long-time assistant Anne Beers for her unflappable support of him throughout his career and during his failing health. Thank you to Bill Kerr and Greg Fach for their tireless work in keeping the golf course as he had dreamed it. We also want to express our gratitude to the team of nurses, PSWs and physicians at the BSTU for the kindness and attentive care they provided in his last months.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Behavioural Support Transition Unit (BSTU) at the Belleville General Hospital (bghf.ca) or a charity of your choice would be appreciated. A celebration of his life will be held when we can all safely gather again.

“It’s a good night for sleeping.”