Classics Department mourns loss of Professor Caroline Falkner
The Department of Classics was saddened by news early last week that our dear friend and colleague, Prof. Caroline Falkner, had passed away after a short illness. A specialist in Greek History (her Ph.D dissertation was a study of the Spartan Navy during the Peloponnesian War), but with interests in many other areas of ancient history, Prof. Falkner arrived at Queen's in 1994 from the University of Alberta in Edmonton and she taught with us until her retirement in 2014. She designed a number of our Greek History courses and many of her former students have written to say how much they learned in those courses and how much they loved her teaching style. (One student once said, "The only thing I loved more than her teaching style was her accent. With Dr. Falkner, it is as if I am taking a course at Hogwarts Castle.")
Prof. Falkner was the Head of Classics from 2005 to 2010, during which time our department was the beneficiary of a number of new faculty appointments.
Originally from Wales, she and her husband Derek, whom she met at the University of London, arrived in Edmonton in 1975 where they lived until moving to Kingston to take up the position at Queen's. She leaves to mourn Derek, their four children, Clare, David, Jenn and Philip, four grandchildren, Emily, Sarah, Anna and Rebecca, her brother John in Wales and sister in law, Hazel from Edmonton. At Prof. Falkner's memorial service, which was held at St. George's Cathedral on Tuesday, July 24, friends and family from Edmonton and Kingston, colleagues and many students paid their respects to their beloved teacher and friend. Requiescat in pace.