In memoriam

Lives and legacies.
(Submit obituaries here.)

A black and white portrait of Jack Taunton
Jack Taunton, OC, MD’76
UBC mourns the loss of professor emeritus of medicine Dr. Jack Taunton, a giant in the field of Canadian sport and exercise medicine. He leaves a rich legacy of support for athletes and for the...
A photo of Julia Levy smiling and looking off-camera, while wearing a white suit jacket and holding her hands together
Julia Levy, OC, BA’55, PhD, DSc’01
Dr. Julia Levy, a trailblazing scientist and entrepreneur, died on December 5, 2024. Embarking on her career at a time when men dominated the realms of STEM, academia, and business, she...
A portrait of Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla wearing a beige long sleeve shirt over a yellow collared shirt
Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla (Bill Wilson), LLB’73
April 06, 1944 - January 24, 2025
Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla (William “Bill” Lane Wilson) – Hereditary Chief of the Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw 
people – passed away on January 24, 2025, in Campbell River. He was a proud member of...
A portrait of David C. Whetter with short white hair, glasses, and a black collared jacket
David C. Whetter, BArch'70, MSc'76
David graduated from the UBC School of Architecture in 1970 and subsequently completed a master’s degree in business administration. During his architectural program, he was a member of the first...
A photo of Chin Choon Khor wearing a light blue puffer with yellow and red stripes in a V-shape. Chin Choon Khor smiles in front of a rocky background.
Chin Choon Khor, MSc'73
Born in Kedah, Malaysia, in 1944, Chin Choon Khor graduated in 1973 with a Master of Science in Soil Science. He met his wife Margaret in Toronto, Canada, where they married in 1976. Kids followed...
A photo of Patricia Abbott with white hair, dark tinted glasses, and a blue puffer, sitting next to a large black-and-white dog.
Patricia (Leth) Abbott, BA’60
February 24, 1938 - February 25, 2025
Patricia (Leth) Abbott was born on February 24, 1938, in Vancouver, BC. Her father, Peter Leth, emigrated from Denmark at the age of 18, while her mother, Vera Wiatkin, hailed from rural Saskatchewan...
Donald Ian Williamson, BA'50
July 22, 1924 - August 01, 2024
Donald Ian Williamson, at the age of 100, died peacefully in his sleep on August 1, 2024, at the Civic Hospital in Ottawa. Don lived every one of his 36,510 days fully, becoming a master of many...
A photo of George Alden Worden wearing a pageboy cap and blue jacket.
George Alden Worden, BASc’51, BA’51
August 05, 1928 - January 19, 2025
George took his last flight on January 19, 2025, from Nanaimo, BC. He was born on August 5, 1928, to Thomas and Mildred in Gravelbourg, SK. He was survived by his beloved wife Jean Marie (née...
Phyllis Claudette Randle (née Brandt), Public Health Nursing Diploma'67
October 21, 1943 - July 01, 2024
Our beloved Aunt Phyllis Randle lost her courageous battle with terminal bone cancer on Canada Day. A proud Canadian, for 80 years she epitomized the strength, passion, loyalty and all that is...
A photo of Robert Woodward wearing a brown sweatshirt.
Robert Woodward, BA'53
Robert Woodward's first teaching position was in Bralorn, BC, near Lillooet, during his early 50s.    His last association with UBC occurred in the late 80s or early 90s, when he taught...