Robert J. (Bob) Eaton passed away Thursday, September 5th, 2013. Bob Eaton was a life-long supporter of the marine industry in Canada and most specifically in southern Ontario where he spent 27 years teaching technical and marine business courses at Georgian College.

In 1988, Bob developed the Georgian College 3-year Marine Technology Program, he served on the Provincial Advisory Committee for 25 years and in 1986, produced training standards for marine apprenticeship. He also assisted in bringing Mercury, Bombardier, Volvo Penta and Harley Davidson factory service training to Georgian College.

He was also a member of the Orillia Chamber of Commerce boat show committee through the early ‘90s and developed marina skills analysis data and surveyed all marinas/boat yards in Costa Rica for their college in 1993.

In 1993, Bob joined the Ontario Ministry of Environment Clean Marine Partnership and following his retirement from Georgian College in 1996, conducted the Province-wide introduction of the Clean Marine Handbook to marinas/yacht clubs and participated in the Eco-Rating certification pilot project. Bob is widely seen as the founder of the Clean Marine program which has now been adopted into many other areas across North America.

In addition to that, from 2001 until the present, Bob was Director of Environmental Services at the Boating Ontario association and wrote the Clean Boater Manual for a Canada-wide campaign in 2004. Bob served as the Chair of the Boating Ontario marine industry skills shortage and education committee starting in 2008. He earned recognition in many of his endeavours. Bob received the Georgian College Board of Governors Award for Outstanding Faculty -in 1991, the W. J. Robertson Award for Outstanding Service to the Ontario Marine Operators Association/marine industry in 1998,  Yachtsman of the Year presented by Toronto Brigantine in 2002 and he was inducted into Canada’s Boating Hall of Fame for a lasting contribution to the betterment of boating in Canada in 2008.

The industry will very much miss Bob’s kindness, generosity and dedication to boating in Canada
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There will be a celebration of Bob’s life on Friday September 13 at Hawk Ridge Golf and Country Club, 1151 Hurlwood Lane in Orillia from 1 until 4 PM.  A sharing of memories will take place at 3 PM.  Donations may be made to Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital Foundation or Bladder Cancer Canada.

For more information, please visit http://www.mundellfuneralhome.com/notice.asp?msg=Y&id=2563