John R. (Jack) Perraton CM, Q.C. LL.D.
May 5, 1946 - February 19, 2012
John R. (Jack) Perraton CM, Q.C. LL.D., a distinguished graduate of the Faculty of Law, passed away at the age of 65 years, surrounded by his family, on February 19, 2012 after a brief but valiant battle with leukemia.
Jack was Editor-in-Chief of the Alberta Law Review during his student years and graduated from the Faculty in 1973 as the silver medallist. After graduation Jack articled in Edmonton to William Hurlburt Q.C. and Vince Reynolds Q.C. He then moved to Calgary where shortly after his arrival he showed a penchant for establishing new law firms. He first began to practice with Rob McIntosh and later with Gerald Masuch, his successor as editor of the Law Review editor in a firm that ultimately became Perraton Masuch. The firm flourished until 1991 when it merged with the Edmonton firm of Field and Field to become Field and Field, Perraton Masuch. At the time of his death, Jack was senior partner in the firm of Perraton Law.
Jack Perraton became a major force in the wider Calgary Community and was known as "Citizen Extraordinaire" and "Calgary's Ultimate Volunteer". He was also very active in several professional associations and community organizations. He acted as the Chairman of the Canada 2005 Exposition Corporation, which led Canada's bid to host a World's Fair in 2005. He was the recipient of many awards in recognition of his community and professional service. These included the Lions Melvin Jones Fellow, the Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, the Distinguished Service Award from the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta) in 1996, and he was named Calgary's Citizen of the Year for 1997.
In June 1998, Jack was appointed as the Chancellor of the University of Calgary, a position he held until 2002, and was chairman of the board of governors from 2007 to 2010 - making him the first person at the U of C to have held both positions. As chancellor, he was credited with making students his main focus, often attending athletic events and academic awards ceremonies. Jack retired as U of C board of governors chairman in December 2010, following 12 years of service to the school
In October 1999, Jack was named as the Honorary Consul General for the Republic of Korea in Alberta, and in 2001, he was made a member of the Order of Canada. In 2003, Jack received an Alumni Honour Award from the University of Alberta.
Jack belonged to the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association. He was formerly the President of the Calgary Winter Club, the Chair of the Kids Cancer Care Foundation, and a member of the Community Advisory Board of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. In 2011, Jack was invested with the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Calgary.
Besides Charlotte, his loving wife of thirty-eight years, Jack is survived by his four children and their spouses, Stacey (Sheldon), Trevor (Kim), Kris (Glenna), and Lindsay (Chad); seven grandchildren, Carter, Tristan, Ryan, Chase, Kaia, Jack and Keating.