Bob passed away at a Sydney, Australia, hospital after a lengthy illness. Bob was predeceased by parents, Ken (1967) and Dorothy (Gallaugher) (2007); and brother, Paul (2022). He will be greatly missed by sisters, Janis (Gerald Johnson) of Charlottetown, and Audrey Thompson of Port Perry. Bob was loved and will be missed by his children, Caryl (Rod McNeil) of Oshawa, and Steve (Elise) and Kate (Mark Headon) of Sydney, Australia. Bob was a very proud grandpa and will be lovingly remembered by Nina and Ryan Johnston. He will also be missed by his nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Bob attended Kenner CVI, Queen’s (electrical engineering) and the University of Alberta (MBA). He enjoyed basketball, football, skiing, sailing, flying, golfing, astronomy, trading futures, and eventually even cricket. He liked to build things, which included: half an airplane, before he moved to Australia, a car, model train layouts, and model planes.

Rest in peace, Bob.

Peacefully, after a prolonged illness, our beloved Roland passed away on May 21, 2024, at Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, Toronto, surrounded by his family.

Roland’s greatest joy in life was his family. He was an amazing and loving husband, best friend and soulmate to Frances, his wife of almost 40 years. Roland was a completely devoted father from the start: soothing colicky infants, while watching west coast Blue Jays games in the middle of the night; chaperoning kindergarten field trips; telling the best bedtime stories; chauffeuring last-minute drives to school; logging many steps walking the dog; and playing endless games of one-on-one basketball or hockey. As his children grew up, he was immensely proud of their accomplishments and successes in life. Family vacations – in particular visiting his sister- and brother-in-law and their family in Australia – were treasured memories. The recent arrivals of his grandchildren – Georgia in 2021 and Noah in 2023 – were especially magical for Roland, who loved them beyond measure.

Born to immigrant Latvian parents and raised in the east end of Toronto, Roland spoke Latvian first, eventually learning English “in the gutter,” as he described it. He enjoyed a carefree childhood of bike-riding, ball hockey, and cheering on the Maple Leafs. He attended Riverdale Collegiate Institute in Toronto, and obtained his BSc from the University of Toronto. In 1979, Roland completed medical school at Queen’s, followed by post-graduate training in Internal Medicine in Kingston and Respirology in Toronto. Along his life’s journey, Roland acquired many friends, several of whom also became close family friends.

Roland joined the medical staff at Toronto East General Hospital (now Michael Garron Hospital) as a general internist and respirologist in 1985. Roland was very happy to return to east Toronto to practice medicine, giving back to the community where he was raised. A well-loved and gifted physician, he was known for his kind, caring, and gentle nature, able to quickly put his patients at ease. During his 35 years of practice at TEGH/MGH, Roland was a key contributor to the development of a comprehensive in-patient and out-patient respirology service, including the Progressive Weaning Centre (now the Prolonged-Ventilation Weaning Centre). With his sense of humour and quick wit, Roland never missed an opportunity to provide his colleagues, friends, or family with groan-worthy but clever puns and “dad jokes.”

Roland will be greatly missed by his wife, Dr. Frances Jamieson; and their children, Peter (Daniela Agnoletto and their daughter Georgia), Emily (Artsci’11, MSc’13) (Daniel Cappell and their son Noah) and Olivia (Max Moffat). Predeceased by his father, Harold Skrastins, and survived by his mother, Rita Skrastins; his sister-in-law, Patricia Fabok (Ivor) of Thirroul, Australia; his nieces, Michelle and Nicola Fabok; and his faithful canine companion, Hudson.  The family is grateful for the wonderful care Roland received throughout his illness.

Jim Woods passed away March 18, 2024, in Berlin, Germany, at the age of 87. 

Jim was the son of the late James Murray Woods and Emiline Grace Woods (nee Playfair). He is survived and greatly missed by his second wife, Dr. Evelyn Weimar-Woods, and his children, Michael Woods (Sc’82) (Heather) and Julie Carr (Daryl). Opa is fondly remembered by his grandchildren, Andrew and Kaitlyn Carr and Clara and Laurel Woods. Jim was predeceased by his son, William (Bill) Woods (BA’82), and his former wife, June Woods-McCormack (BA'57) (nee Patterson), with whom he had his three children.  

Jim was born Nov. 9, 1936, in Timmins, Ont. He was raised and educated in Haileybury, Ont., where he excelled in school and developed a passion for sports, in particular golf and skiing. He received his BSc degree in Engineering Physics from Queen's and earned a PhD in Physics at Princeton University. Jim did a postdoc in Physics at the University of Alberta, was assistant professor in the Physics Department at the University of Maryland, and returned to Queen’s in 1968 to join the Mathematics Department as a faculty member.  

Jim’s scientific career was in mathematical physics, focusing on the theory of operator algebras, most notably in collaboration with Huzihiro Araki and their development of Araki-Woods factors used in classifying Von Neumann algebras. This directly influenced the research of the great French mathematician Alain Connes (LLD'79), who became Jim’s good friend and colleague. Jim was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1987.  

Jim took early retirement from Queen’s in 1991 and enjoyed a long retirement in Berlin, while still engaging in some mathematics with Evelyn and the mathematics community. Jim enjoyed ice skating and playing hockey there, and took great pleasure golfing into his 80s. Together with Evelyn, he was an avid patron of the Berlin Philharmonic.

Norris Hamilton Ready passed away in April in Surprise, Arizona, at 93 years old. Norris practiced anesthesia at The Ottawa Civic, Ottawa; John C Lincoln Hospital, Phoenix; and Hillcrest Baptist Hospital, Waco. 

He was an avid private pilot, golfer, and skier. Norris was a long-time member of the Flying Physicians Association, flying his own plane to many interesting places. After retiring, Norris started woodworking and specialized in wood turning. He was an active member in the Arizona Woodturners Assoc (AWA) and American Association of Woodturners (AAW) and taught wood turning at his local wood club. In 2019, wood turning became too physically demanding, so he started oil painting. 

Norris is predeceased by his first wife, Susan Belle Blackwell, and survived by his wife of 42 years, Leslie; son, Brian (Sindy); and daughter, Lynn (Steven Silbiger).

Susan "Sue" Elaine Mainse (nee Punkari) passed away suddenly on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at the age of 69. She will be greatly missed by her beloved husband, Brad; children, Gregory and Jennifer (Brenden); and rescue pup, Kiki.

Born to Betty Cook and Aimo Punkari on Aug. 12, 1954, in Oshawa, Ont., Sue spent her formative years alongside her brother, Robert. She embarked on her academic journey at Queen’s with her cousin Joan Delavigne (Arts/Ed'73), graduating from the School of Rehabilitation Therapy in 1977. 

After graduating, she worked as a civilian physiotherapist at the Canadian Forces Base Lahr, Germany. Her professional path led her to Oshawa General Hospital, and later, after marrying the love of her life, Brad, on Sept. 28, 1985, they moved to Ancaster, Ont., to start a family.

Sue dedicated her life to helping people as a physiotherapist and worked for Hamilton Health Sciences until her retirement in 2009.

A devoted and proud mother, Sue celebrated Jennifer's achievement of a BComm from McMaster University and Gregory's recent attainment of his P.Eng. designation following his B.Eng from McMaster University.

Throughout her rich life, Sue pursued numerous passions. She found solace in the pages of books, reveled in the tranquility of cottage life at Steenburg Lake, and immersed herself in the study of languages such as Finnish, German, Swedish, and Icelandic. A devoted lover of dogs, she treasured her companions Pat, Patsy, Honey, Rusty, Dusty, Georgia, and Bella, who await her in heaven. Her departure leaves a profound void, felt deeply by her family, friends, and current beloved pups, Kiki, Lilly, and Henry, who will miss her dearly.

Sue’s legacy of boundless love, unwavering compassion, and generous spirit will endure, forever illuminating the lives of all fortunate enough to have been touched by her grace.

Professor John F. Malcolm passed away peacefully on Sept. 10, 2023, in his home in Davis, CA, at the age of 92. Originally from Canada, he spent most of his academic career in the Philosophy Department at the University of California, Davis. There, until he retired in 1994, he was central to its program in ancient philosophy. He is remembered for his brilliance, his love of classical scholarship, his old-school, exacting professorial standards, his generosity, and his highly unconventional sense of humour. He was an avid traveller and skier, with a special fondness for beautiful classic automobiles. He also played classical music on his keyboard. In addition to being a historian of philosophy, he also extensively investigated his family history in Scotland, Ireland, and Canada, tracing it as far back as 1602.

Professor Malcolm’s major academic work was his 1992 book, Plato on the Self-Predication of Forms: Early and Middle Dialogues (Oxford University Press), but his scholarship went beyond philosophy. Fluent in ancient Greek and Latin, he also studied Russian and Sanskrit. Shortly before his death, he was studying a text on the Hebrew language. His students and colleagues would agree that he was one of a kind. His uniqueness extended to his writing his own obituary, which follows:

“J. Malcolm was born in Regina, Sask., in 1931. He lived in Storthoaks, a small hamlet in the south-eastern part of that province where his father was a United Church minister on a mission field. In 1936, he (an only child) and his parents moved to eastern Canada, eventually settling in Bailieboro, Ont., a small community near Rice Lake. After graduating from high school in Peterborough, he went to the alma mater of his parents, Queen’s. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 1952 and then spent two years studying abroad in St. Andrews, Scotland, and Marburg, Germany. He returned to Queen’s for a Master’s (on Kant’s ethics) and, after a year in Rome, went to Princeton for his PhD in Greek philosophy under Gregory Vlastos. 

His first teaching position was at Huron College, London, Ont. After three years there, he went for a year to Oxford to study with G.E.L Owen. Then he taught for two years at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and from there came to the University of California at Davis, where he remained for the rest of his academic career. His main areas of interest were the metaphysical doctrines of Plato and Aristotle. He was a regular participant in a reading group on ancient Greek philosophy at Stanford/Berkeley and at Davis.

“He had no children and for most of his life was unmarried. While at high school, he would spend several months a year on a farm, and, as an undergraduate, during the four month summer vacation, he was employed at such jobs as replacing railroad rails and rotating aluminum remelt furnaces. In light of these experiences, he successfully avoided any extended physical labour thereafter. His vision of the best life attainable by human beings was one of privilege without responsibility – an ideal more to be recognized than realized.”

It is with broken hearts that we announce the passing of Desmond Lawrence on March 24, 2024, at home, surrounded by his children.

Desmond was predeceased by his beloved and adored wife, Mary (Murray) in 2022. Des is survived by his three children – most loved father of Mary Anne (Brian), Shannon (Artsci’83, Ed’84) and Matthew. Beloved and cherished Poppa of Matthew (Natalie) and Mark Wright and Alexander Hensman; and loved great-grandfather of Liam James; and dear brother-in-law of Vincent Murray (Gail) of Cherry Valley. He is remembered fondly by cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Des was predeceased by his parents, Laurie (Shannon) Hensman and Arthur Hensman; his sisters, Johanna Elizabeth and Mary Joan Armstrong; brother, Arthur Leo; and brother-in-law, Bob Armstrong.

Des was born in Toronto, but grew up in Picton, graduating from Picton Collegiate in 1952. He earned a degree in chemical engineering from Queen’s. Des spent his career working for DuPont Canada in Kingston. He retired from DuPont Research in 1993. Throughout the years, Des was an active member of the Alumni Association, assisting in the planning of numerous Class of ’56 Science reunions.

Des was devoted to his wife, Mary, whom he met while attending school on Waupoos Island in 1939. He enjoyed working on many projects including building the family cottage with his wife, Mary, in 1968. They designed their current home on the Cataraqui River in 1986. Hobbies and interests included: boating, sailing, curling, playing bridge, photography, and always lending a hand to help others. Researching the family history was a passion for Des and Mary. They spent many years researching and shared the information with their family. In addition, Des was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, with Holy Name of Jesus Church, Council #11886.

Des lived an exceptional life – the focus being his faith and his family. He was an extraordinarily generous and giving person, always putting the needs of others before himself. 

He will be remembered for his wonderful sense of humour, sharing many stories and jokes passed down from his parents and other family members. He will also be remembered by his family as the “man who could do everything.” No task or problem was too difficult for him. Des will be forever missed by all of those who had the privilege of knowing him.

With great sadness, our family announces the passing of Phyllis Evelyn Lake (née George), beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, on April 5, 2024, at the age of 94 years.

Predeceased by her devoted husband and cherished companion George, Phyllis passed away peacefully with her daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren by her side.

Born in Egremont in 1929, Phyllis left rural Alberta to pursue her education at Queen's, where fate led her to encounter the love of her life, George, an engineering student. After graduating in 1952 with a degree in chemistry, Phyllis and George soon married – they commenced their journey together and both began working at the Department of National Defence.

They settled in London, Ont., in 1967, where they nurtured their family, raising their beloved children, Linda and Brian. Phyllis embraced motherhood wholeheartedly, putting her career on hold to become a devoted full-time mom, renowned for her culinary skills and the cherished "Lake Family Cookbook."

In 1979 they embarked on a new chapter in Calgary, where Phyllis soon resumed her career as a chemistry lab instructor at Mount Royal University, blending her passion for science with her innate talent for teaching.

Together, Phyllis and George explored the wonders of nature, indulging in their love for hiking, searching for waterfalls, skiing, and adventure, alongside their cherished grandchildren.

Their home was a sanctuary for fostering creativity and appreciation for the arts, from the Pumphouse Cookie Cabaret to Theatre Calgary, igniting a passion that would endure through the Lake generations.

Phyllis faced and conquered cancer with remarkable resilience, embarking on global adventures with George, including a memorable journey to Antarctica.

After George's passing in 2009, Phyllis continued to embrace life with unwavering independence and a thirst for new experiences. An active member of the Skrastins Hiking Club, fitness enthusiast at the Calgary Jewish Centre, and avid bridge player, Phyllis lived life to the fullest. Her solo expedition on the Rocky Mountaineer train at the age of 92 epitomized her spirit of adventure and zest for life. She was an avid reader, with an insatiable appetite for mystery novels. She loved jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, and most recently became a prolific creator of beaded "diamond paintings," which adorn the homes of her family and friends.

Phyllis leaves behind a legacy of love, resilience, and boundless adventure. Her memory will be cherished by all who were touched by her warmth, kindness, and unwavering spirit.

Sadly missed and always in the hearts of her loving family; her late husband, George Thomas Lake; daughter, Linda; son, Brian; daughter-in-law, Dawn; and grandchildren, Megan, Amy, Jordyn, Taylor, Mackenzie, and Samantha.

Burn Hodgins died peacefully at Amica Little Lake, on April 12, 2024, at the age of 90. He was predeceased by his parents, Dorothy Burnell and Clark Latimer Hodgins; his sister, Bernice “Bunny” Rickaby; and his loving wife of 56 years, Muriel Irene Hodgins (neé McLeod). 

Burnell is survived by his sons, Michael (Cathy), and Greg (Gretchen); his grandchildren, Frances (Sean), Clark, and William; and his great-granddaughter, Wren. 

Burnell was born on Dec. 30, 1933, in Weyburn, Sask. His father, a graduate of Ontario Agricultural College, was teaching farming methods for the Saskatchewan government. The family moved to London, Ont., where Burn spent his early school years roaming his neighbourhood, and, during the war, mobilizing on Saturday mornings with his Scout troup, patrolling for German spies, who were generally rumored to have parachuted in the night before and could be found hiding out in the church basement. The family moved to Toronto and then on to Oakville, where Burn attended Oakville Trafalgar High for his graduating year. It was there he met and fell in love with Muriel McLeod. They were head boy and head girl (as well as prom king and queen). Burn and Muriel were a dazzlingly, beautiful couple.

Burn attended Queen’s, where he completed a civil engineering degree in 1957. He loved Queen’s and was a lifelong supporter. Burn and Muriel were married in 1956. Burn spent his entire career at International Water Supply, a groundwater development company. The young couple moved to Ames, Iowa, then to London, Ont., and finally to Barrie in 1970. Burn remained at IWS for the rest of his working life, retiring as president in 1992. 

During his career, Burnell served as chair of the Ontario Chapter of American Water Works Association, as well as chair of the Simcoe County Branch of The Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario. In 1991, he received the George Warren Fuller Award for distinguished service, sound engineering skill, and brilliant diplomatic talent.

Burn designed a stunningly beautiful home for his family in Barrie. Their life was filled with wonderful friends, neighbours, and business associates. For many years, they enjoyed a rich social life that revolved around theatre, live music, and the game of bridge – a magical entertainment underappreciated in a Netflix world. Burn and Muriel were active members of Collier Street United Church. Very private about his own faith, Burn unfailingly supported Muriel’s service to the Christian community over the decades. He was a Steward at Collier, serving on the committee that undertook the construction of Collier Place. 

Burn was an active member of The Huronia Rotary Club and the Barrie Country Club. In these contexts, his quick and at times mischievous sense of humour shone. He was a dapper man, who loved fine dining. His tastes were formed by Muriel’s wonderful cooking and latterly sated by regular patronage of Barrie’s fine restaurants.

After Muriel’s death in 2012, Burn took great comfort in the companionship of friends and his wonderful neighbours, several of whom made it possible for Burn to stay in his beloved home until December of 2022. They are amazing people. The family is also grateful to the staff at Amica Little Lake, who cared for Burn in the last year of his life with attention, compassion, and professionalism. He was a lucky man.

Douglas Martin passed away peacefully on April 16, 2024, with family by his side.

Doug was born on Dec. 7, 1934, in Kingston. He graduated from Queen’s as a geological engineer, then attended Toronto Teachers College before moving to Fort William. There, he met the love of his life, Doreen. They married in 1965 and honeymooned in London, Ont., while Doug completed his specialty in pleistocene geology at Western University. 

Doug taught at Westgate High School for 32 years. We are often stopped by past students who share stories of what a wonderful teacher he was and his positive influence on their lives.

Doug was involved in numerous service groups, putting in many volunteer hours: Westfort Kiwanis, Key Club, RTO, Easter Seals, and “Parking Crew.” He enjoyed coaching, square dancing, time with his walking and bridge groups, and many hours at breakfast, lunch, and coffee with friends.

Predeceased by his parents, Harold and Marguerite Martin; in-laws, Seiji and Francis Inouye; and sister-in-law, Shirley Inouye (Eugene).

Doug will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his wife of 58 years, Doreen (Inouye); daughters, Daryle (David), Donna (Greg), Dawne (Normand); son, Kevin (Anne); grandchildren, Rebekah, Danial, Nathalie, Bradley, Brian, Takara, Kaitlyn, and Allison; five great-grandchildren; siblings, Jack, Betty (Barry), and Bob; sisters-in-law, Marlene, Sharon (Dave), and Donna (Rick); and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

George W. Oliver died peacefully at home on March 26, 2024, in his 67th year.  In death as in life, Eileen was by his side – the love of his life.

Would that we could “stop all the clocks” to deeply mourn this honourable dude, described by his family doctor as the “top of the pack,” but we must “keep rolling” and carry him in our hearts. George is predeceased by his parents, June and Lloyd Oliver; father-in-law, Frank Butts; and his blessed trio of unconditional lovelies: Lucy, Lou, and darling Jordan. George is survived by Eileen, his courageous bride of 28 years; his mother-in-law, Kathleen Butts; his brothers, Doug (Ann), John, David (Renee); brothers-in-law, Peter (Ellen) and Chris (Martha). He will be terribly missed by his wonderful nieces and nephews and their gifted children: Jeff (Kelly), Lauryn, Marisa, Leanne (Brandon), Megan, Emma, Greg (Karen), Jacob, Kaila, Mack (Rose), Jade, Rijker, Stephanie (Ian), Pam (Kris), Darryl (Kristi), Joshua and Jacob, Tyler (Alex), Adam (Jessie), and Nicholas (Katrina). 

A modest man of influence, George was an award-winning athlete and coach, a Valedictorian, and a former IBM Plant Manager. As president of BGO Consulting, he was grateful to work with exceptional clients like the Cleveland Clinic, CBC, OVC, MDS, PPS, and GLAM. 

He was an amazing Sunnybrook Heart Pal, a former featured runner, a marathon man, a dedicated Terry Fox runner, a board member for Future Aces Foundation, Horizons for Youth and West Hill United. He was proud to be a friend of the late, great, Dr. Herbert H. Carnegie. 

He adored his cottage life at Skeleton Lake and every minute of fun on every road trip with Eileen. It must be said that George suffered a “world of pain” in his later years, and chronic illness was a constant companion. Thanks to Dr. Linda Saunders, Dr. Bruce Lubelsky, and Dr. Jorge Soni for their care and compassion. Always.