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Dr. John L. Climenhaga died on May 27 at home in Victoria. He was 91. He joined the faculty of Victoria College in 1949 as a teacher of physics. He was the first head of the physics department at the University of Victoria, a position he held until 1969, when he became dean of arts and sciences. He served as dean with fairness and openness through a turbulent period in the university’s history, before returning to teaching and research in 1972. Climenhaga was an effective and determined advocate for the creation of a university in Victoria during the 1960s, and, as head of physics, he was a major contributor to the creation of one of the finest physics research programs in Canada. He completed his PhD in astronomy at the University of Michigan in 1960 and was also an effective advocate for the creation of the astronomy program at UVic in 1965. He championed UVic’s participation in TRIUMF, the Tri-University Meson Facility at UBC.
In 1972 and 1973, he spent a sabbatical doing research in Japan, South Africa and Poland, and his research collaboration with Dr. Jan Smolinski of the Polish Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Astronomy continued for many years, until not long before Smolinski’s death a decade ago. Upon his retirement in 1982, the observatory on the roof of the Elliott Building was named the Climenhaga Observatory in his honour. After retirement, Climenhaga continued to teach at UVic for a dozen years and gave many popular talks on astronomy in the community.
On his 70th birthday, he was honoured by the International Astrophysical Union when it assigned the name Climenhaga to an 8-km asteroid (minor planet 3034), which orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter. In 1996, UVic granted him the honorary degree of Doctor of Science. Donations in his name may be made to the John L. Climenhaga Scholarship, which was created in 1972 to assist a senior UVic student in physics or astronomy, c/o the University of Victoria Development Office, PO Box 3060, Victoria, B.C., V8W 3R4.
Contributed by David J. Climenhaga, St. Albert, Alberta
Mary Theresa Nixon passed away peacefully in her home on May 29 after a very brief illness and shortly before her pending June 30 retirement from the work she loved. Mary is survived by Don, her husband of many years, and by their son Mark.
She served the university and its students in the Faculty of Education for many years as a long-service sessional instructor, beginning that work in 1988 and continuing until her death.
Mary began her work as a teacher in England, and together with Don traveled, taught and learned on three continents. They moved eventually to Canada, where in 1975 Mary completed her PhD in educational administration at the University of Alberta, numbered early among women academics in that field.
She was widely affirmed for her work with many undergraduate students in teacher education and with graduate students in educational leadership. Her commitment to guiding and supporting students was reflected in their assessment of her work.
Mary’s outstanding work as a teacher was recognized in 2004 with the faculty’s selection of her as the recipient of the Full-time Sessional Excellence in Teaching Award. Her letter of citation noted that Mary’s ongoing support for students, her attention to their needs, mentoring activity and collaboration with colleagues “far exceeds faculty expectations.” It added, “You are an excellent role model and inspiration for faculty members and colleagues in the Faculty of Education.”
Mary will be remembered and missed by her family, friends and colleagues for her clear commitment to others and to her work over many years.
Contributed by Vernon Storey, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Education.
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