Sad news, great lady.  I worked with her on an off at CJCL and CFTR before she moved to Ottawa to work for Cory Galbraith at CJSB.  She always made time for everyone and we had many laughs and good times together.  We exchanged e-mails recently, and this comes as a real shock.



[Via Ottawa Citizen]

MCRAE, Beverley
July 15, 1945 - January 13, 2016

Beverley Anne McRae (nee Begg), age 70, died peacefully but unexpectedly and much too soon, on January 13, 2016. 

Born in Winnipeg to Elsie and Dr. Robert Begg, Bev was a proud graduate of the University of Saskatchewan. It was during this time when Bev met her first husband, Ron Bowman, and they had three children together - Geoffrey, Jennifer and Jonathan. After obtaining a biology degree, Bev put her Master's on hold to pursue a career in something completely unrelated to science - journalism. 

Under her married name of Bev Bowman, she became an award-winning radio broadcaster and producer in Toronto, hosting her own nationally syndicated call-in program, Sunday Sunday, and her own featured program, Talk Show Toronto with Bev Bowman at CJCL. During her second marriage to journalist Earl McRae, they moved to Ottawa, where daughter Caitlin was born and Bev continued her career. She also obtained her M.J. from Carleton University and was a regular fill-in on CFRA, later co-hosting her own program at that station, The Broad Perspective. Bev also co-created an editing company, and even in her later years, still freelanced as a journalist for local newspapers. 

But like many of us, it was the little things that defined Bev's wonderful essence. She was fiercely proud of her four children and wouldn't miss an opportunity to brag about them, even to an unsuspecting stranger. She was kind, generous to a fault, exuding a bubbly warmth to anyone she met. Her fabulous cooking was much enjoyed by family and friends, as well as her life-long passions like crafts and sewing, reading, gardening, hobby arts - she was the kind of person that could make something beautiful out of nothing. As an example of that, both her daughters were married in dresses that she made. Bev loved long chats, debates about current events, and reminiscing. Her conversational appeal earned her numerous friends and the ability to shoulder anyone's burden with a compassionate heart and outstretched arms. Really, everyone should be so lucky to have someone like her in their lives, as she will be deeply missed by her family and friends. But as these things go, her beautiful legacy lives on in her four children; her love of writing and cooking is carried on through her two daughters, and her gifted creativity through her two sons in the work they do every day. 

Bev is survived by her four children, Geoff (Jillian), Jon (Robyn), Jen (Kevin) and Caitlin (Braedon); her much-beloved grandchildren, Justin, Madison, Liam, Declan, Alexander, Gabrielle, Tait and Jax; her siblings, Ron (Terri) and Catherine (Andrew); and her nieces and nephews. Fondly remembered by her dear friends, some life-long, some new, and her three little felines at home. Predeceased by her parents, her second husband Earl, and her brother, Dr. Robert C. Begg ("Bob"). 

A funeral service will be held at Pinecrest Remembrance Chapel, 2500 Baseline Road, on Saturday, January 23 at 11 a.m. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ottawa Humane Society, The Ottawa Mission, the or the Barrhaven Food Cupboard. 

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