About Joe Segal
Lived 1925 – 2022 (aged 96–97). Joe Segal was a Canadian businessperson and philanthropist.
Joe Segal (January 1925 – 31 May 2022) was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist.
Segal was born in Vegreville, Alberta, moving to Edmonton as a child. After serving in the Second World War, he settled in Vancouver, establishing first an army surplus store and then a clothing store which evolved into the Fields department store chain with more than 100 locations across Western Canada. After Fields acquired a majority stake in Zellers department stores in 1976, followed by a reverse takeover, Segal became a major shareholder in the Hudson's Bay Company when the historic department store purchased Zellers. Segal was a regular at the luxury Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver where he had a table for lunch for over 30 years. He was a major real estate investor, and later a developer with Kingswood Capital Corporation.
Well known for his philanthropy, Segal received the Order of British Columbia in 1992 and then the Order of Canada in 1993. He was a board member of Simon Fraser University and served as chancellor from 1993 to 1999. In 2005, SFU's Segal Graduate School of Business at the Vancouver campus was named after him honouring his contributions to the university. The name of the Joseph & Rosalie Segal & Family Health Centre addictions and mental health treatment facility at Vancouver General Hospital honours their donations to the building of the centre.
He was survived by his wife of 74 years, Rosalie, four children, 11 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
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Important facts
People in Joe Segal's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Joe Segal's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Joe Segal?
Canadian businessman and philanthropist (1925–2022)
When was Joe Segal born?
Joe Segal was born in 1925 in Vegreville.
When did Joe Segal die?
Joe Segal died on 31 May 2022.
What was Joe Segal's occupation?
Joe Segal was a businessperson and philanthropist.
What nationality was Joe Segal?
Joe Segal was Canadian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Joe Segal. https://biography.guide/joe-segal/
MLA: "Joe Segal." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/joe-segal/.
Chicago: "Joe Segal." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/joe-segal/.
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