Colin Billowes DFH PEng CEng FIET
Published: Mon 14 Feb 2022
After our AGM in November 2021, Colin wrote to ask “was he re-elected to the committee?”.
For over 50 years Colin Billowes has been an initiator, driving force, mentor, friend and source of wise counsel to countless IET members in the Ottawa Local Network.
His stalwart contributions to the IET in general are reflected in his question last year to Andrew Wilson “are there any more committees I can serve on?”
Andrew confirmed that indeed there were none – he had served on every one for which he was eligible.
Colin passed away peacefully in Ottawa, Ontario Canada on January 14th, 2022 at the age of 86.
Colin was born in Malta of British parents and educated in the UK at the Portsmouth Grammar School. He spent some years in Kenya and Bahrain as a young man after which he returned to the UK in 1961 to study at Faraday House Electrical Engineering College where he earned his Diploma of Faraday House.
Colin joined the IEE as a Student in 1962, became an Associate Member in 1965, Member in 1968 and Fellow in 1987.
Colin came to Canada in 1966 where he carved out a career in Telecommunications. He held positions with Bell-Northern Research (BNR). the Dept of Communications and finally with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) as Director of the Telecoms and High Technology Program.
Colin is a founder member of the Ottawa Network of the IET, was on the Executive Committee since the beginning in 1967.
He has served as Chairman on three different occasions and was the editor of the Newsletter for some years.
Colin travelled extensively in his life, both for work and pleasure, visiting a total of 114 countries. He was very active in the local branch of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (formerly the Institute of Electrical Engineers) where he served on the Ottawa Executive Committee for over 50 years, a record. He served for a total of 8 years on the IET Council in London.
He was a classic car enthusiast and owned a classic ALFA Romeo and a Rolls Royce. He was an active member of both of those clubs. After retiring, he spent his winters in Florida and volunteered at the Collier Motor Museum where he conducted tours and research on the collection of cars.
He spent a very active life right up to the end and will be missed by his family and many friends all over the world.
Members of the Ottawa LN will remember him with fondness.
He leaves a son Paul, a daughter Finola Francis, and granddaughters Nora and Bridget, all of whom he loved dearly.