In Memoriam

Rudolf Harmsen passed away in London, Ont., on March 23, 2022. He was 89. He was predeceased by his brother, Arvid, and is survived by his wife, Jerroldine Harmsen (Arts’55); his sister, Miek Zuidema; his sons, Douglas and Leif; son-in-law, Mario Longtin; daughter-in-law, Stephanie Cozart; and granddaughter, Gwendolyn, who knew him as “Gaffer.” Rudolf received an undergraduate degree in biology and a master’s degree in zoology (under zoologist William Beckel) in 1959 from the University of Toronto. He then earned his PhD in zoology in 1963 from Cambridge University, England. For 32 years, from 1966 to 1998, Rudolf was a professor in the Biology Department at Queen's University. He lived an adventure-filled life. His journey as a life-long learner, scientist, educator, husband, father, and grandfather influenced those who came to know him for his loving, generous nature, his profound curiosity, his art, and his wit.

Ted Allen Given passed away on April 27, 2022. He was 91. He is survived by his wife, Lillian; his daughters, Jacqueline and Gillian; his son-in-law, John Ogden; and grandchildren, Joshua and Imogene. Ted’s professional career in teaching began in 1953 at Wexford Public School in Scarborough, Ont. He transferred to the North York Board of Education in the early 1960s to become the head of English at Humbermede Junior High School. In the latter part of his teaching career, he moved to Churchill Public School to be closer to home. With his wife, he travelled to England and Portugal, and enjoyed their cottage on Beaver Lake in Peterborough County with their family. Ted and Lillian were involved with service organizations for many years in their home community in Markham, Ont.

James Henry Coyle passed away on March 20, 2022, at his home in North Carolina. Beloved husband of 61 years to Carolyn, father to Robert, David and Alaine, and grandfather to Aileen, Kevin, Emily, Alison and Martin. He received his doctorate in psychiatry from the University of Toronto in 1966 and had a productive and rewarding career in both Canada and the United States.

With much sadness, his family announces the passing of David Conn Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, on March 1, 2022 at the age of 86. David, “Grandpa Dave,” was the beloved husband of Liliana, loving father of Peter (Rama), Kristina (Mathew), and Michael (Sonya) and grandfather of Fred, Monica, Oliver, Julia, and Charlotte. David passed away peacefully in Ottawa surrounded by family. As a teenager, David fell in love with radio and thus began a lifelong passion that started as a hobby, turned into a career, and then returned as a hobby; an activity that David kept at as long as he could. All his extended family and friends have many memories of relaxing at the cottage with Morse code providing the background soundtrack. David graduated in 1959 from Queens University in Electrical & Computer Engineering, receiving a master’s degree in 1961. After his marriage to his Italian beauty, Liliana, in 1961 and the birth of their three children, he received his PhD in 1969. During his long career as a communications engineer and professor he taught at Queen’s University, Carleton University, and McMaster University. Along the way, his career took him to Boston, Kingston, Ottawa, Stockholm, Saskatoon, and Dundas.

Outside of work David loved to sail. He raced International 14s and Finns and passed that love on to his three children. David was a passionate black-and-white photographer for most of his life; his extended family is especially grateful for this as the moments and memories he captured on film have become treasures to keep forever. Throughout his life and retirement, he was an active member of OARC, the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club. Many of his radio antennae designs, HAM Radio equipment and radio engineering notes and are now part of the Diefenbunker museum. A celebration of life will be held this summer, 2022, at the family cottage, a place David loved dearly, and a place he visited annually since 1952.

Originally from St. Thomas, Ont., Bevin Clark passed away in Brockville on Feb. 25, 2022, at the age of 78. He was a fine natural athlete and, while at Queen's, he played basketball and football as the kicker for the Golden Gaels intercollegiate teams. He also had a guest-coach involvement with the Gaels football team in 1977-78, when the team won the College Bowl championship. From 1968 to 1985, Bevin taught at Thousand Islands Secondary School in Brockville, where he coached football and basketball teams, earning the nickname 'Coach,' used by many in Brockville for the rest of his days. In January 1985, his world changed forever when he was felled by a near-fatal attack of pneumococcal meningitis. That unfortunate event left Bevin with impairments that rendered him no longer competitively employable. In retirement, he remained in Brockville, living independently for as long as possible and, most recently, in a long-term care facility. Bevin was a brother of Bob Clark (Sc'56) and Bill Clark (Sc'60), and an uncle of Paul Tuff (Sc'84), and Peter Tuff (Arts'89).

Arland Benn passed away on March 21, 2022. He was 96. He is survived by his wife, Jean; his children, Alison (Artsci’92) and Jeffrey; and his five beloved grandchildren. Arland was born on the family farm in Long Lake, Ont., on Jan. 1, 1926. His father, Ira Leslie Benn, took some courses at Queen’s around 1905 and prospected with Professor Miller and an Indigenous guide in the Cobalt and Haileybury area of Northern Ontario, discovering a mine or two. While at Queen’s, Arland was a cadet and a member of the varsity wrestling team. When Arland completed his degree in civil engineering, he worked in Toronto, Northern Ontario, and then in Montreal on the St. Lawrence Seaway. He moved to Ottawa to work with the international arm of Declan, where he met his wife and continued to pursue his love of gliding. Arland’s engineering career took him to Thailand, Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya, and Indonesia. Upon his retirement, Arland continued his active lifestyle, becoming an award-winning hobby winemaker and medaling in cross-country ski marathons, winter triathlons, and in-line skating half-marathons well into his 80s. Arland’s “downtime” was spent at his Long Lake cottage with family and friends, designing and constructing mosquito-repelling pagodas and more efficient additions to the lakefront abode.