In Memoriam pays tribute to those members of the U of A community, past and present, who have recently passed away. During their lifetime, each individual brought their passion, curiosity, and commitment to the world of higher education, and for that we will always remember and honour them.
This past winter and spring, the university lost the following community members:
Dr. John Bowland
Retired professor of animal nutrition specializing in swine and former dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry (1975-1983)
February 10, 1924 - December 15, 2015
John was born, raised and received his early education in rural Manitoba. He earned a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba and went on to complete a Masters in Animal Nutrition from Washington State University and a PhD in Biochemistry and Animal Nutrition from the University of Wisconsin. From 1949 to 1983, John was a Professor of Animal Nutrition on staff at the University of Alberta, where he served as Dean of Agriculture and Forestry from 1975 to 1983. During his academic career he received numerous honours and awards and served on many committees in Canada and internationally.
You can learn more about John's life by viewing his full obituary on The Edmonton Journal or by reading the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Studies' online tribute.
Image courtesy of The Edmonton Journal.
Dr. Lawrence (Larry) B. Smillie
Professor Emeritus, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
July 5, 1928 - January 13, 2016
Larry was a respected professor of biochemistry at the University of Alberta. His research into the structure and function of proteins was ground- breaking. He was recognized internationally and received many awards for that research. He was a mentor to generations of graduate and post- doctoral students. He is remembered as thoughtful, friendly, curious and strong-willed. While he was accomplished, he remained unpretentious. He was an independent spirit with a warm smile and a hearty laugh. He built the family cabin at Lake Wabamun and spent many happy summers there, creating countless memories for his children and grandchildren.
You can learn more about Larry's life by viewing his full obituary on The Edmonton Journal.
Image courtesy of The Edmonton Journal.
Dr. Hans Brungs
Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Faculty of Science
1939 - February 2016
Born in Germany in 1939, he studied Mathematics at the University of Frankfurt, and completed his Post Doctoral studies at Rutgers University before joining the University of Alberta in 1968. His life in Edmonton was about his family, mathematics, and travel, as his career as a professor gave him the incredible opportunity to travel the world and have colleagues in every corner of the globe. He was always thinking about math, and any scrap piece of paper would be covered with complex characters, as he wrote all his papers by hand. After his retirement from U of A in 2005, he continued to publish and still has unfinished papers.
You can learn more about Hans' life by viewing his full obituary on The Edmonton Journal.
Image courtesy of The Edmonton Journal.
Professor Douglas H. Haynes
Former Chair, Professor Emeritus, Department of Art and Design, Faculty of Arts
1936 - February 10, 2016
Douglas Hector Haynes (R.C.A.) was born in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1936. Haynes studied art at the Provincial Institute of Technology & Art (now Alberta College of Art and Design) from 1954-1958. He furthered his studies in The Hague, Holland, spending 1960-1961 at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. He became an instructor in the Art and Design Department at the University of Alberta in 1970, a position he held until 1995. Haynes was elected a member of the Royal Canadian Academy in 1974. He has left behind a brilliant legacy through his insightful artworks and through all the artists he impacted as an educator.
You can learn more about Douglas' life by viewing his full obituary on Art Gallery of Alberta's In Memoriam site.
Image courtesy of Galleries West.Galleries West.
Dr. Brian Llewellyn Evans
Former Associate Vice-President (International), Professor Emeritus, Department of History and Classics, Faculty of Arts
1932 - February 15, 2016
Brian was born and raised in Taber, Alberta. He developed an early fascination with China which, as he recounted in his memoirs Pursuing China (2012), became a lifelong passion. After receiving a B.A. at the University of Alberta, he earned a Ph.D. in Chinese History at the University of London. While in London, he married his wife of many years, the late Margo Burwash. From 1961 until his retirement in 1996 he taught Chinese and East Asian History at the University of Alberta. He also developed the teaching of Asian languages and exchanges with universities in Asia and elsewhere. In 2001, Brian was awarded the Order of Canada.
You can learn more about Brian's life by viewing his full obituary on The Edmonton Journal or by reading the Department of History and Classics' online tribute to him.
Image courtesy of the Edmonton Journal.
Dr. Julie Sharon Long
Assistant Professor, Department of Elementary Education, Faculty of Education
May 18, 1973- March 17, 2016
Born in Grand Falls, NB, Julie was always a scholar. After graduating with a BSc from Dalhousie University (1994), she spent two years teaching in The Federated States of Micronesia with Jesuit Volunteers International. She then received her BEd from the University of New Brunswick (1998) and taught in her home town. She continued her studies with a MEd (UNB 2004) and a PhD (2008) from the University of Alberta where she taught mathematics in the faculty of education. Above and beyond her studies, she was an extraordinarily caring and loving being. She was the wife of Patrick Savoie and the mother of two sons, Rémi and Maxime.
You can learn more about Julie's life by viewing her full obituary on ObitsforLife.com.
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Margaret Emily Henderson
Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Nursing
1920 - March 4, 2016
Margaret's career began following her training as an R.N. at Toronto Western Hospital. She went on to receive her B.N. from McGill University, followed by her M.A. from Columbia University. Her experience would later lead her to become a Professor Emeritus with the U of A's Faculty of Nursing. Margaret enjoyed her nursing career, having had a wide variety of assignments and experiences, both as a consultant with the Canadian Nurses Association, and the World Health Organization. She valued her friends, enjoyed nature and many sports including golf and tennis during her long and rich life.
You can learn more about Margaret's life by viewing her full obituary on LifeNews.ca.
Image courtesy of Life News.
Dr. Charles Richard Stelck
Researcher and Professor, Faculty of Science
May 20, 1917 - May 2016
Attending high school in Edmonton, he received the Teglar scholarship for the top high-school marks in Alberta, enabling him to attend the U of A where he earned both a BSc (1937) and a MSc (1941) in geology. In 1951 he earned a PhD from Stanford. Following WWII he began a long career as a faculty member at the U of A as one of only three professors in the British Empire teaching petroleum geology. His honours are numerous and include: the Petroleum Hall of Fame, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and Officer of the Order of Canada (1997). In 2008, Astronomer Andrew Lowe named Asteroid 187680, Stelck.
You can learn more about Charles' life by viewing his full obituary on The Edmonton Journal or by reading the Faculty of Science's online tribute to him.
Image courtesy of The Edmonton Journal.
Dr. Charles Hugh McGibbon Beck
Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science
Oct 18, 1935 - May 14, 2016
Charles Beck was born in Santiago, Chile and grew up in Ontario. He earned degrees from the University of Toronto and from Pennsylvania State University. After post-doctoral work at the University of Pennsylvania, he took a position at the University of Alberta as a member of the Faculty of Science in the Department of Psychology. He was a student of brain function and behavior, however, teaching and mentoring was Charles' passion. After retirement, Charles returned to earlier interests in painting and photography, and became involved in volunteer work. A lover of the outdoors, Charles shared rich and happy times with friends and family in Alberta and at his cottage in Cognashene.
You can learn more about Charles' life by viewing his full obituary on the Foster and McGravey Funeral Home site.
Dr. Allen Pearson
Former Chair, Department of Educational Policy Studies, and former Professor, Department of Educational Foundation
November 3, 1944 - June 6, 2016
Originally from Branchville, NJ, Allen began his academic career as a graduate of Colgate University and having received his PhD at Cornell University, Allen became a lifelong educator. He was a professor of philosophy of education at the University of Alberta for 25 years until 1995, then served as Dean of Education at the University of Western Ontario until 2007. He continued as a full-time Faculty member until his retirement in 2010, after which he was appointed Professor Emeritus and Adjunct Professor. Allen was also active in the local NDP party, holding the position of treasurer.
You can learn more about Allen's life by viewing his full obituary on The Edmonton Journal or by reading Western University's online tribute to him.