Graeme Decarie (1933 – 2022)
‘A great human being’
Malcolm Graeme Decarie, BA 60, professor emeritus of history and a well-known public commentator, was fondly remembered by his Concordia colleagues after his death on November 27, 2022. He was 89.
In memoriam
Mike Gasher (1954 – 2022)
Journalist, author and scholar
Mike Gasher, PhD 99 — a professor emeritus with the Department of Journalism, founder of the Department of Communication Studies’ PhD program and former director of Concordia’s Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism Studies — passed away on September 27, 2022. He was 67.
- Michael M. Gutwillig, S BA 48, BFA 97, January 2, 2023. He was 97.
- Charles W. Houston, S BA 52, January 25, 2023, Toronto. He was 92.
- Henry F. Mizgala, L BA 53, December 11, 2022. He was 90.
- Merrill Bélanger, S BComm 54, February 23, 2022, Conception Bay South, N.L. He was 91.
- Daniel G. Mack, S BComm 54, October 5, 2022, Montreal. He was 90.
- Arnold Leonard Varah, S BComm 55, December 25, 2022, Toronto. He was 89.
- Myer Horowitz, S BA 56, LLD 82, October 24, 2022, Victoria, B.C. He was 89.
- Stanley R. Smith, S BComm 56, December 21, 2022, Halifax. He was 92.
- Saul L. Ross, S BA 56, December 30, 2022. He was 88.
- Gordon Rumson, S BComm 56, S BA 66, April 15, 2021, Victoria, B.C. He was 96.
- William E. Bradford, S BComm 60, December 25, 2022, Mississauga, Ont. He was 89.
- Irving M. Kirsch, S BA 62, December 18, 2022, Vancouver.
- Sylvia J. Tierney, S BA 63, September 14, 2022. She was 80.
- Gerald Plewa, L BComm 64, September 25, 2022.
- Nathan L. Bernstein, S BA 65, November 30, 2022.
- Gerry Gummersell, L BA 65, November 29, 2022.
- Robert H. Tadgell, S BSc 66, October 28, 2022, Beaconsfield, Que. He was 80.
- John Withenshaw, S BA 68, January 6, 2023. He was 77.
- William T. Miller, L BSc 69, December 7, 2022. He was 75.
- Allan M. Satov, S BSc 69, December 29, 2022, Toronto.
Alvin Segal (1933 – 2022)
A peerless philanthropist
Alvin Segal, a Montreal-based businessman and one of Canada’s pre-eminent corporate philanthropists, died on November 4, 2022. He was 89.
Segal’s lifelong support for education, health care and the arts made him a pillar of his community. The former chairman and CEO of Peerless Clothing, Inc., Segal started as a worker on the factory floor in 1951. Under his leadership, Peerless grew to be the largest supplier of men’s fine-tailored clothing in North America.
A benefactor to a number of organizations in Montreal, Segal was instrumental in establishing the Segal Cancer Centre at the Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital in 2005. He was also a major patron of the Segal Centre for Performing Arts.
Concordia benefited from Segal’s generosity in 2013, when he played a key role in facilitating the creation of the Mordecai Richler Reading Room — home to the late author’s private papers, books and other personal effects — on the sixth floor of the J. W. McConnell Library Building.
Segal is survived by his wife, Emmelle, children Joel, Barbara and Renee, and a large extended family.
- William Canniff, L BA 70, November 28, 2022. He was 75.
- Patrick M. Doyle, S BA 70, Ottawa. He was 79.
- Paul Monty, L BA 70, January 28, 2022, Longueuil, Que. He was 73.
- Ian D. Macleod, S BA 70, January 10, 2023, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. He was president of the Sir George Williams University alumni founding chapter and former member of the Concordia University Alumni Association’s board of directors.
- Robert D. Lipscombe, S BA 72, October 10, 2022. He was 80.
- Keith H. Conklin, S BComm 73, December 6, 2022. He was 83.
- Alan Dever, S BA 74, October 18, 2022.
- Thomas C. Dozois, L BComm 74, December 28, 2022. He was 72.
- Peter Gilson, S BA 74, January 20, 2023, Pointe- Claire, Que. He was 72.
- Sheila Kunst, S BFA 74, November 5, 2022, Montreal. She was 75.
- Helen Blanchette, Cert 75, Cert 81, October 5, 2022, Boucherville, Que. She was 80.
- Antoinette Carson, BA 75, November 26, 2022. She was 75.
- Gerald Dushkin, BSc 75, January 25, 2021.
- Francis James, BA 75, January 4, 2023. He was 82.
- Joan A. McKee, BA 75, November 3, 2022, Ottawa. She was 88.
- Robert Miller, BSc 75. He was 76.
- Norah Roberts, BA 75, November 27, 2022. She was 95.
- Barbara Rumson, BA 75, November 22, 2022, Victoria, B.C. She was 91.
- Shirley L. Pettifer, BA 76, MA 83, Cert 91, September 27, 2022, Montreal. She was 75.
- Marcia Segal, MA 76, January 24, 2023, Montreal.
- Bruno Villata, BA 76, August 17, 2022.
- Elizabeth E. Grace, BA 78, November 9, 2022. She was 95.
Jeff Barnaby (1976 – 2022)
Visionary of modern Indigenous cinema
Jeff Barnaby — a Mi’kmaq filmmaker who grew up on the Listuguj Reserve in Quebec — passed away on October 13, 2022, after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 46.
The former Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema student was considered a visionary of modern Indigenous cinema. Barnaby’s debut feature, Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013), earned widespread acclaim for its gritty and unsparing critique of Canada’s residential school system.
Blood Quantum, Barnaby’s sophomore effort, premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival and was named second runner-up for the festival’s Grolsch People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award. The groundbreaking horror film went on to win seven Canadian Screen Awards in 2021, including Best Editing honours for its director and writer.
Barnaby leaves behind his wife, Navajo filmmaker Sarah Del Seronde, and son, Miles.
- Rose Goldberg, Cert 81, BA 87, MA 99, November 14, 2022. She was 86.
- Susan M. Bisanti, BEng 83, December 2, 2022. She was 61.
- Sheila R. Bonney, BA 84, December 26, 2022. She was 73.
- Costa “Gus” Christopoulos, BSc 84, December 30, 2022. He was 61.
- Judith A. Johnston, GrDip 86, October 2, 2022, Montreal. She was 85.
- Eileen Sinnamon, BA 86, December 21, 2022, Greenock, Scotland.
- Margaret Spencer, BA 86, October 14, 2022, Vancouver. She was 90.
- Scott R. Bergen, BComm 87, November 8, 2022. He was 58.
- Mary E. Shaver, BA 87, January 10, 2023. She was 90.
- Frances Smith, Cert 87, January 4, 2023.
- Marilyn Goldfarb, BA 89, December 11, 2022. She was 95.
- Michael Dorland, PhD 92, December 3, 2022, Ottawa. He was 74.
- Vera Greenwood, MFA 93, August 23, 2022, Wakefield, Que. She was 68.
- Randi Tollefsrud, BA 94, December 22, 2022, Aldergrove, B.C. She was 91.
- Marielle Gascon-Barre, EMBA 97, December 26, 2022, Montreal. She was 80.
- Kimberley Leboff, Cert 00, October 4, 2022. She was 47.
- Lisa A. Dias, BA 01, December 24, 2022. She was 53.
- Carmen Dubé, BA 01, February 8, 2022. She was 62.
- Marisa Kane, BFA 01, December 16, 2022, Long Beach, Calif. She was 60.
- Mary Sweeney, GrDip 01, May 12, 2022. She was 55.
- Elaine Carsley, MA 04, January 24, 2023.
- Dana Lynn Feingold, MEnv 16, October 4, 2022, Montreal. She was 38.
Joey Basmaji (1952 – 2022)
Entrepreneur, donor and volunteer
Joey Basmaji, a Montreal-based businessman and a Concordia donor and volunteer, died on December 21, 2022. He was 70.
The founder of Boutique Jacob, a major retailer which once had more than 200 stores and 1,000 employees across Canada, Basmaji’s impact as a philanthropist was widely felt throughout Montreal.
With charitable interests in health, social services and the arts, the Joey and Odette Basmaji Foundation has supported the likes of the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal Heart Institute and One Drop Foundation.
From 2001 to 2007, Basmaji served on the advisory board of the John Molson School of Business. In 2006, he and his wife, Odette Basmaji, made a significant gift to and cochaired the school’s Best of the Best gala fundraiser.
Joey Basmaji is survived by his wife, daughter Cristelle, BComm 03, and grandchildren Chloë and Raphaël.