Ronald Nicholas Wadden
1930-2026
Ronald Nicholas (Nix) Wadden passed away on Oct. 10th at St. Patrick’s Home in Ottawa at the age of 96.
Born August 22, 1930, in St. John’s Newfoundland to Bridget (Fitzgerald) Wadden and Nicholas Joseph Wadden, Nix attended St. Bonn’s and took courses at Memorial University before receiving his Bachelor of Arts from Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S.
He began his career as a journalist at the Daily News and Harvey’s News Bulletin before founding the VOCM news service, followed by a brief spell at CJON.
After marrying Madeline Roche in 1959 and with the birth of their two children, the family moved to Ottawa, where Nix began his career in the federal civil service, first with Fisheries and later Transport Canada and the Federal Communications Council.
In addition to using his journalism and public relations skills as a volunteer for various organizations, including the Ottawa Folk Festival and the RA Photo Club, Nix began writing three books in his late 70s, an account of his formative years in the Newfoundland press corps in Yesterday’s News (2008); a memoir of his young years in St. John’s in Gower Street (2015); and, in The Waddens, co-authored with his brother Brian Wadden, a genealogical history of his family traced from Ireland to Newfoundland in the 1800s.
Nix is deeply missed by Madeline, his wife of 67 years, daughter Dianne, son Ron and his wife Lee Parpart and their daughter Bridget. Also by Ed Brown, Maureen Pert and Barbara Todd to whom he was a “big brother,” many beloved nieces, nephews cousins and dear friends, especially the family of Bill and Margaret Werthman and neighbours Janet and Marcel Carriere.
He is predeceased by sisters Mary Brown and Helen Carter, brothers Brian and William and by his lifelong best friend Tom Howley.
The family is most grateful for Nix’s care in the General and Civic campuses of the Ottawa Hospital and at St. Patrick’s Home and for the generosity and kind humour of his family physician and fellow Newfoundlander Dr. John Shane O’Neill.
Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of his Life inviting words of remembrance followed by a reception will be held at the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa,419 St-Laurent Blvd. On Thursday, November 5th from 1 to 5 pm.