Husband, father, grandfather, friend, and scholar passed away peacefully on May 24, 2018, at Hospice Wellington in Guelph, Ontario at the age of 78 years. He is predeceased by his parents, Bernardo Samuel and Delfina Bazán. Carlos shared many paths with his loving wife of 55 years Agueda (née Reus). His life is celebrated by his son Guillermo, daughters Victoria (Rob Hyndman) and Mariela (Tad McIlwraith), and grandchildren Elias, Thomas, Gabriel, and Allie. Carlos was forever grateful to those who helped him and his family emigrate to Canada in 1976 under difficult political circumstances, and honoured them by helping others to do the same.
Carlos was born in Mendoza, Argentina in 1939. He studied at the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo and at the Université Catholique de Louvain (PhD in Philosophy and PhD in Medieval Studies). He worked at the University of Ottawa for twenty years, becoming Dean of the Faculty of Arts in 1991. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1995 and was a member of the Leonine Commission (Rome-Paris) from 1975 to 1996. Carlos devoted the large part of his academic career to advancing a greater understanding of the works of Thomas Aquinas, questioning whether Aquinas had succeeded in demonstrating the existence of angels and examining the relationship between body and soul. Carlos approached his death with acceptance and curiosity and, perhaps, he finally has the answers he sought.
Carlos embodied many lives in different parts of the world, as a young man in Argentina, as a graduate student in Belgium, as a young academic, family man and political activist again in Argentina and as a mature academic and proud citizen of Canada. Carlos lived his life without pretense or artifice. He appreciated what he had and worked hard to care for it. He found joy in our shared humanity. He was an ardent River Plate fan. Carlos loved conversation, music, barbecuing, his garden and seeing the world. His recent trip crossing the Rocky Mountains by train was a promise fulfilled. Above all, he loved being surrounded by his loved ones. Every time he offered chocolate, he would say, “have it abundantly”. It is how he taught us to enjoy life.
His life will be celebrated by family and friends at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to the WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 519-822-0051. In lieu of flowers, the Bazán family would appreciate that donations be made to Hospice Wellington at https://www.hospicewellington.org/donations or to Amnesty International at https://www.amnesty.ca/donate
A tree will be planted in memory of B. Carlos Bazán in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest, University of Guelph Arboretum.