In memoriam

Back to the Spring 2024 issue

Maria Birks (1945 – 2023)

Maria Birks, former director of the Birks Family Foundation and a dedicated community volunteer, passed away on November 19, 2023. She was 78.

Brenda Cheryl Dickinson-Dash (1945 – 2024)

Brenda Cheryl Dickinson-Dash, a significant figure in the 1969 student protest at Sir George Williams University, one of Concordia’s two founding institutions, passed away on November 29, 2023. She was 78.

Daniel Langlois (1957 – 2023)

Daniel Langlois, LLD 04, businessman and philanthropist, tragically passed away with his partner Dominique Marchand on the island of Dominica on December 1, 2023. He was 66.

Michael M. Gutwillig, S BA 48, BFA 97, January 2, 2023. He was 97.
Brian F. O’Neill, L BA 49, July 21, 2023, Montreal. He was 94.

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.

Ed Broadbent (1936 – 2024)

Ed Broadbent, LLD 99, one-time head of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) and an advocate of social justice, died on January 11. He was 87.

Brian Mulroney (1939–2024)

Former prime minister and member of Concordia’s Board of Governors

Martin Brian Mulroney, LLD 05, prime minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993, lawyer, businessman and public figure, died on February 29. He was 84.

Peter W. Bigney, L BA 70, September 2, 2023, Toronto, Ont. He was 76.
Chaim Moosa, S BComm 70, S MA 71, July 13, 2023, Sea Ranch Lakes, Florida.
He was 84.
Orest Mytko, S BComm 70, Montreal.
Louise Calfat Stock, L BA 70, February 15, 2024, Montreal. She was 74.
David Adler, S BComm 71, September 16, 2023, Montreal. He was 75.
Avery G. Dash, S BA 71, July 19, 2023, Nelson, New Zealand. He was 77.
Jacklin (Jackie) Webb, S BA 71, January 10, 2024, Montreal. She was 81.
Zbigniew R. Geissel, L BSc 71, November 12, 2023, Montreal. He was 76.
Robert Miele, L BComm 71, L BA 72, February 5, 2024, Vancouver, B.C. He was 73.
Gabriel E. Sella, S BSc 71, September 10, 2023, Wheeling, West Virginia. He was 75.
Helen Allain, L BA 72, December 19, 2023, Pointe-Claire, Que. She was 83.
Steve Andrusiak, L BA 72, September 5, 2023, Montreal. He was 73.
Chana Goodfriend, BA 72, September 5, 2023, Montreal. She was 78.
Claude J. Paquet, S BSc 72, September 6, 2023, Montreal. He was 76.
Bruce Shadeed, S BComm 72, February 27, 2024. He was 73.
Marjorie Rose Benjamin, S BA 73, July 15, 2023, Montreal. She was 87.
Keith Eady, S BComm 73, February 8, 2024, Moncton, N.B. He was 88.
Issie Lieberman, L BSc 73, January 9, 2024, Montreal.
Michael E. Ballard, S BA 74, January 4, 2024. He was 84.
Bruce D. Cappell, S BA 74, BA 89, October 8, 2023, Montreal. He was 71.
Ann (Cohen) Gross, S BA 74, March 8, 2024, Toronto. She was 84.
Hans J. Pahl, L BSc 74, October 7, 2023, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que. He was 92.
Ron Swan, L BComm 74, January 24, 2024, Kingston, Ont. He was 73.
Imelda A. Ariens, BA 75, August 11, 2023, Pointe-Claire, Que. She was 84.
Stephen J. Berns, BComm 75, January 15, 2024. He was 70.
Richard J. Gough, BA 75, November 2, 2023, Sarnia, Ont. He was 71.
Larry Graham, BSc 75, MSc 81, November 29, 2023, Beaconsfield, Que. He was 76.
Roman Petraznyk, BSc 75, BA 90, February 21, 2024. He was 76.
Lillian Simpson, BA 75, GrDip 80, June 26, 2023, Victoria, B.C. She was 92.
Albert Niedzviecki, MSc 76, MA 77, December 22, 2023.
Barbara C. Moore, GrDip 76, December 18, 2023, Westmount, Que. She was 96.
Jocelyne Picot, MA 76, November 18, 2023. She was 84.
Delmer Tennant, BA 76, February 24, 2024.
Dorothy (Fallen) Wise, BFA 76, March 4, 2024. She was 95.
David S. Armstrong, BEng 77, November 25, 2023, Montreal. He was 74.
Marilyn P. Cummings, BA 77, November 8, 2023, Hudson, Que. She was 68.
Paul Loftus, BA 77, February 25, 2024, Montreal. He was 79.
Patricia O’Rourke, BA 77, GrDip 85, MA 92, PhD 01, December 24, 2023, Montreal.
She was 79.
Peter Rozum, BA 77, October 29, 2023, Montreal. He was 78.
Kenneth H. Sinclair, BComm 77, December 21, 2022. He was 67.
Pasquale Di Prima, BA 78, December 10, 2023, Montreal. He was 68.
Verda M. Hamilton, BA 78, September 15, 2023, Aylmer, Ont. She was 89.
Susan M. Murray, BEd 78, MA 86, July 26, 2023, Vancouver, B.C. She was 80.
Ronald A. Noel, BA 78, July 13, 2023, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que. He was 91.
Saul Schneider, BA 78, December 22, 2023. He was 72.
Christopher Bradley, BComm 79, September 5, 2023, Montreal. He was 71.
Adrien F. Hotz, BA 79, 2023.
Tony P. Meti, BComm 79, October 25, 2023, Montreal. He was 68.
Richard Pellino, BA 79, GrDip 90, October 7, 2023, Saint-Jérôme, Que. He was 69.
Pauline Smith, BA 79, November 26, 2023. She was 92.

Lawrence Boyle (1934 – 2023)

Former dean of Commerce empowered generations of students to succeed

Lawrence James “Larry” Boyle, BA 57, BComm 58, former dean of Commerce and dedicated community leader, passed away on December 12, 2023. He was 89.

Burke Dales (1977 – 2024)

Concordia graduate Burke Dales, BA 03, who went on to become an all-star punter and Grey Cup champion in the Canadian Football League (CFL), passed away on January 6. He was 46.

Joanne Hewson Rees, BFA 80, December 1, 2023, Westmount, Que. She was 93.
Joyce Abracen, BA 81, December 17, 2023, Montreal. She was 96.
Jaroslav Vilem Bures, BComm 81, July 28, 2023, Pointe-Claire, Que. He was 90.
Ian Ferrier, BA 81, November 3, 2023, Montreal. He was 79.
Ila E. Grayland, BFA 81, BA 91, September 29, 2023, Dundas, Ont. She was 91.
Allan Miller, BComm 83, December 11, 2023, Toronto. He was 62.
Helen Elizabeth Kurlents, BFA 84, December 25, 2023. She was 87.
Murray Sklar, BComm 84, October 28, 2023, Montreal. He was 62.
Darin Scanzano, BA 85, September 29, 2023, Oakville, Ont. He was 62.
Charlotte Mirman, BA 87, September 23, 2023, Rockville, Md. She was 73.
Shafferun Shaieb, BA 87, January 11, 2024. She was 88.
Ophra Benazon, MFA 89, PhD 99, October 12, 2023, Montreal. She was 91.
Andre Laurin, BA 89, January 7, 2024. He was 62.
Joanne Hewson Rees, BFA 80, December 1, 2023, Westmount, Que. She was 93.
Joyce Abracen, BA 81, December 17, 2023, Montreal. She was 96.
Jaroslav Vilem Bures, BComm 81, July 28, 2023, Pointe-Claire, Que. He was 90.
Ian Ferrier, BA 81, November 3, 2023, Montreal. He was 79.
Ila E. Grayland, BFA 81, BA 91, September 29, 2023, Dundas, Ont. She was 91.
Allan Miller, BComm 83, December 11, 2023, Toronto. He was 62.
Helen Elizabeth Kurlents, BFA 84, December 25, 2023. She was 87.
Murray Sklar, BComm 84, October 28, 2023, Montreal. He was 62.
Darin Scanzano, BA 85, September 29, 2023, Oakville, Ont. He was 62.
Charlotte Mirman, BA 87, September 23, 2023, Rockville, Md. She was 73.
Shafferun Shaieb, BA 87, January 11, 2024. She was 88.
Ophra Benazon, MFA 89, PhD 99, October 12, 2023, Montreal. She was 91.
Andre Laurin, BA 89, January 7, 2024. He was 62.
Andrew Teri, BA 91, February 22, 2023, Montreal. He was 79.
Keith Donoghue, BComm 92, November 19, 2023. He was 53.
Margaret L. Laurin, BA 92, August 17, 2023, Montreal. She was 74.
Antonin Jancarik, GrCert 93, July 7, 2023, Longueuil, Que. He was 80.
Ann Murphy, BA 93, October 10, 2023, Montreal. She was 79.
Hugh Tollett, BComm 93, January 16, 2024. He was 58.
Sheila (Thatcher) Farthing, BA 96, January 4, 2024. She was 91.
Margit Dumitrescu, BA 97, Monterrey, Mexico. No age provided.
Arleen Rudakoff, BA 00, November 18, 2023, Montreal. She was 72.
Rivka Wiseberg, BA 00, July 24, 2023, Montreal. She was 84.
Gregory Ronald Yule, BA 02, January 14, 2024. He was 45.
Rally Levy, BFA 04, December 11, 2023. She was 68.

Ronnie Shak, BComm 13, October 28, 2023. He was 37.

Back to the Spring 2024 issue