Honorary municipal councillor remembered in Sarnia-Lambton
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Nick Monsour, the first and only honorary life member of Sarnia and Lambton County councils, is being remembered for his kindness and dedicated attention to the business of municipal government.
The retired engineer and former Polysar employee died Dec. 12. He was 97.
After decades of faithful attendance watching city and county council meetings from the public galleries at Sarnia City Hall and the county buildings in Wyoming, Monsour was given the unique distinction in 2020 of being named an honorary life member of both municipal councils.
He grew up in Mattawa, Ont., studied at the University to Toronto and then worked in the provincial capital for a time. He moved to Sarnia in 1953 and began attending meetings of city council, the police board and county council.
“We have never had anybody more dedicated to attending our meetings – non-elected that is,” said Kevin Marriott, warden of Lambton County.
“He came though rain, snow or shine.”
County council presented Monsour with his life-time honorary membership at a budget meeting in early March 2020 and set aside a council seat for him during that day’s meeting, as well as allowing him to present a motion to adjourn when the day’s business was done.
City council had granted him honorary membership earlier the same week.
“It was just a joy to have him so interested,” Marriott said.
In November, Monsour sent a hand-written letter to county and city council to thank them for their service to the community.
Monsour, who had been living at Fiddick’s Nursing Home in Petrolia, was also actively involved in the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario and Grace United Church, where he was a past-chairperson of Lambton Presbytery. He also supported the Inn of the Good Shepherd and Women’s Interval Home.
“He loved his family, friends, and cooking Lebanese food,” says an obituary posted online by Smith Funeral Home in Sarnia.
Monsour was “so sweet, so positive,” said Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley.
“I don’t think he sometimes realized how much his letters and his comments to people – city and county – were meaningful,” Bradley said. “I wish there were more citizens like that who appreciated what people did. He was always a gentleman.”
Officials at Sarnia City Hall and the county buildings plan to lower their flags in Monsour’s honour.
That’s something normally done for royalty, politicians and municipal staff, Bradley said.
“It’s a rare honour,” he said.
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