Canadian Philanthropist and Business Icon Hilary Weston Passes Away at 83 | BoF

Renowned philanthropist and business leader Hilary Weston has passed away at the age of 83, according to reports from Canadian media outlets. Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1942, Weston initially pursued a career in fashion modeling to support her family after her husband's death. She relocated to Toronto in 1971 and built a prominent career spanning over twenty years in the fashion industry. Weston held key positions such as deputy chair of Holt Renfrew, a leading Canadian department store chain, and served on the boards of Brown Thomas & Co. in Ireland, Selfridges in London, and was involved in the early production of clothing for Primark when it was known as Penneys, contributing to the development of budget fashion retail. From 1997 to 2002, Weston served as Ontario's 26th lieutenant-governor, championing women's rights and leading a record-breaking fundraising campaign that raised over $250 million for the Royal Ontario Museum. She was married to W. Galen Weston, a prominent real estate and food processing magnate, until his passing in 2021, and they shared a 55-year marriage. Her son, Galen G. Weston, paid tribute, stating, "Our mother was devoted to her family and community, ...