Born in Youngstown, Alberta, Mr. Blair attended school at Rose Lynn, Sheerness and Hanna. Following service in the Royal Canadian Air Force (1943-45), during which he trained and graduated as a pilot, he enrolled at the University of Alberta. He graduated in 1949 with a B.Sc. in electrical engineering.

Mr. Blair began work with Gulf Canada in 1949 as a geophysical trainee. He progressed through various positions, including seismic party chief, field supervisor, interpretation supervisor and finally Northern Division geophysicist. In 1969, he joined Westcoast Petroleum Ltd., as manager of geophysics, overseeing a major expansion of the company's geophysics group.

Mr. Blair served as president of the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (CSEG) in 1969.

He was presented with the CSEG Meritorious Service Award in 1981. He also contributed to the activities of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (CSPG), having been a member since 1952 and 1960 respectively.

He was active on a number of APEGGA committees prior to becoming president.

Mr. Blair served on the Professional Affairs Committee, Technical Liaison Committee, Discipline Committee, and during the period 1978-81 was a member of the APEGGA Council. He was appointed a member of the new Practice Review Board that was established under the new Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Professions Act in 1981. He was elected as 2nd vice president in 1984 and in that capacity chaired the Act, Regulations and Bylaws Committee.

Mr. Blair is survived by his wife, Marg, and by two daughters, Maureen and Honor, as well as by a sister, Dorothy, of Ottawa, and by several nieces and nephews.