Memories Made: Celebrating Our Latest Retirees

Celebrating the University of Alberta's Retirees

On Monday, May 29, 2017 the University of Alberta celebrated the career achievements of 107 faculty and staff members who have reached the penultimate career goal: retirement. Here’s a look at whose moving on, complete with a few favourite memories:

Monica Andersson — Augustana; 41 years

John Andrusiak — Supply Management Services

John Back — Office of the Registrar

Glen Baker — Psychiatry

Sylvia Barton — Nursing; 9.5 years

“My favourite memory/place was in ECHA 5th floor, Global Nursing Office, looking at aboriginal artist, Gerri Whitehead’s painting — Diversity and Health — mounted on an expansive orange wall.”

Jeremy Beach — Medicine

Yvonne Becker — Augustana; 31 years

Jeffrey Bisanz — Psychology; 38 years

“My favourite memories are the exciting occasions in my lab when students generated ideas for the design of studies or the interpretation of data, none of which I would have thought of on my own.”

Rick Bowers — English and Film Studies; 30 years

Kim Brimacombe — Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences; 17.5 years

“My favourite memory was working in the Dean’s office, Faculty of ALES, with Dean Ian Morrison and Associate Dean Bob Hudson. These kind people created a very positive environment and brought many happy memories to the staff.”

Susan Buchsdruecker — Faculty and Staff Relations; 37 years

Diane Caird — Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Lilian Campbell — Building Services

Brenda Carrier — Anthropology

Linda Carroll — School of Public Health

Margaret Chmilar — Ancillary Services; 11.5 years

A. Sandy Clanachan — Pharmacology

Philip Comeau — Renewable Resources

Darlene Cribb — Medicine; 27 years

“My very favourite memory is lunchtime walking on campus with my colleagues and friends.”

Douglas Dawson — Ancillary Services

Yvette D’Entremont — Campus Saint-Jean; 26 years

“I have enjoyed my years at Faculté Saint- Jean: from professor to Associate Dean (Academic). It has been a pleasure to teach both undergraduate students, their thirst for knowledge is motivating, and graduate students, the insightful discussions and research questions have been inspiring. It has been an amazing career and I look forward to the next adventure.”

Lionel Dibden — Pediatrics

Linda Donaldson — Libraries; 28.5 years

“I started out working in the Computing Science Library, followed by John W. Scott Health Sciences Library and Cameron Library, and finally Rutherford Library. I have many great memories and made lifelong friends. Thanks to everyone who made my time at the U of A memorable.”

David Erno — Information Services and Technology; 38 years

“My favourite memory is working on the CARS project in a small office in SUB.”

Antonietta Falsetti — Facilities and Operations

Dyane Gagnon — Augustana

Iris Galenza — Augustana; 29 years

“My favourite memory is my first office space in Founders’ Hall at Augustana.”

Warren Gallin — Biological Sciences

Norman Gee — Chemistry; 38 years

Anne Giles — Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Donna Gorday — Information Services and Technology; 37 years

Jeanette Gosine — Alberta School of Business; 43 years

“It is difficult to identify a best memory because just working with wonderful staff and students on campus over the years will be forever treasured. I will always remember the outpouring of appreciation from staff and students at the School of Business at my retirement party.”

Sukhjinder Grewal — Libraries

Brenda Gustafson — Elementary Education; 28 years

“My favourite memory is the first two years serving as Associate Dean in the Faculty of Education Undergraduate Student Services. Every day was an adventure and I was privileged to be surrounded by very competent, creative, and fun people. I still laugh when I reminisce about the situations in which we found ourselves and how the office staff stood together and worked for the betterment of all.”

Darko Haramina — Maintenance Division

Paul Harland — Augustana

Charlotte Hensel — Libraries; 38 years

“My favourite memory is when the Faculty of Extension, Department of Educational Media moved from a temporary location to the brand new building known as the University Extension Building, now known as University Terrace.”

Ken Hiebner — Operations Buildings

Ilze Hobin — Law; 40 years

“The years were split between the Population Research Laboratory and the Alberta Law Reform Institute. Many enjoyable moments came from seeing research work directly benefiting both the university community and in particular the public at large.”

Viera Hotar — Libraries; 29 years

Oleh Ilnytzkyj — Modern Languages and Cultural Studies

Carol Irwin — Libraries

Peggy Isley — Nursing; 9.5 years

“During the years that I have been with the university, there have been many changes. The most memorable of the changes for me occurred in 2011as the Faculty of Nursing moved from the Clinical Sciences Building to the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy. It was a privilege to be involved in a project of this magnitude on a beautiful, diverse campus.”

Philip Jacobs — Medicine

Wenran Jiang — Political Science

Grant Kayler — Libraries

James Kehrer — Office of the Provost

Janey Kennedy — Arts; 25 years

“I was most fortunate to have worked these last few years in Arts and Convocation Hall as it is such a beautiful building. My position was very challenging but also my favourite as I had an incredible supervisor. We all worked very hard but also shared many good laughs.”

Sandra Kereliuk — Finance and Administration; 29 years

“My favourite memory was watching Chancellor Lois Hole hug EVERY student that crossed the stage at Convocation.”

Bohdan Klid — History and Classics

Dale Kuhn — Information Services and Technology

“The best time I had was working with Jim on trucks #7 and #55. Doing sometimes the impossible department moves after hours, and getting it done. It was always a joy when we completed the jobs.”

Donald Kuiken — Psychology; 48 years

“My favourite place on campus remains the Arts Building. The Psychology Department was located there when I first arrived. When I revisit the Arts Building now, I find the renovations consistently tasteful, but they also cover over the dusty and oaken familiarity of my original campus ‘home.’”

Leona Laird — Nursing

Claire Lavergne — Cell Biology; 16 years

“My favourite memory is noon hour walks around the campus especially in spring and summer with all the trees and flowers in blossom.”

Margaret Law — Libraries

Terry Le Corre — Research Services Office

Lynne Lechelt — Chemistry; 20 years

“I worked with wonderful faculty, students and colleagues. I loved working on campus — the vibrancy, the intellectual offerings, the multicultural friendly atmosphere, and especially the positive, forward-thinking and engaging students.”

Carol Leroy — Elementary Education

Brenda Leskiw — Biological Sciences; 26 years

“My favourite memory is being surprised at a Faculty of Science Council meeting with an announcement that I would be receiving the President’s Achievement Awardfor Excellence in Leadership after being nominated by my colleagues and without my knowledge. Being acknowledged in that way was very moving.”

Lilla Lesko — Libraries; 30 years

Anne-Marie Link — Augustana; 13 years

Charles Lucy — Chemistry; 18 years

David Lynch — Engineering

David Magee — Rehabilitation Medicine

Debra Mallett — Secondary Education

Godfrey Man — Medicine; 30 years

Ljubinka Markovic — Building Services

Heather McDermid- Biological Sciences; 28 years

“I have many happy memories of helping undergraduate and graduate students.”

Carl Mendoza — Earth and Atmospheric Sciences; 25 years

“My favourite memory is going on hydrogeology field trips with my colleagues and students, and visitors from afar; showing off soapholes, springs and other groundwater discharge features of Alberta. I also fondly recall introducing students to our field sites, from wetlands and forest lands of the boreal forest to mine reclamation landscapes.”

Angie Meyer — Arts

Danny Morris — Augustana

Jeremy Mouat — Augustana

Sharon Mussolum — Facilities and Operations

Frank Nargang — Biological Sciences

Paul Noseworthy — Facilities and Operations

Belinda Parke — Nursing

Mary Paul — Facilities and Operations; 28 years

“After developing the Residential Interiors Certificate program in Faculty of Extension, I fondly remember watching the proud graduating class cross the stage at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.”

Stewart Petersen — Physical Education and Recreation

Danuta Plesowicz — Science

Rene Poliquin — Mathematical and Statistical Sciences

Judith Powell — Chemical and Materials Engineering; 45 years

Randall Reichardt — Libraries; 33.75 years

“My favourite memory is really a compilation of many about the same thing: the joy and satisfaction experienced each time I help a student or researcher understand how to make the best use of library resources, such as searching a database or how to locate a paper related to their research.”

Stephen Reimer — English and Film Studies

Joanne Robbins — University Health Centre; 28.3 years

Susan Robertson — Alberta School of Business; 23.5 years

“My favourite memory is how campus seemed like a labyrinth that I would never master when I first arrived but became a place where I knew its nooks, crannies, and shortcuts and enjoyed choosing a best-loved path for a routine trek to GSB, the Faculty Club, or Timms.”

Carolyn Ross — Nursing

Marian Rossiter — Educational Psychology; 23 years

“I am always deeply moved when I attend Convocation, as graduating students cross the stage to receive their degrees. One of the most memorable was the fall 2013 ceremony in which Sarah McLachlan received her Honorary Doctor of Laws and then performed for the audience.”

L. Duncan Saunders — School of Public Health; 27 years

“It’s hard to pick a favourite memory but many are of interactions with students in-class and at conferences.”

Byron Schmuland — Mathematical and Statistical Sciences

Sharon Schultz — University of Alberta International; 36 years

“My favourite memory will be the many parties we held in the office over the years; from potlucks to international dinners. The staff were like a family to me.”

John Sinclair — Extension; 15 years

“My favourite memory is being named the winner of the “Outstanding Contributions to the Learning Environment” award at the Faculty of Extension’s Lifelong Learning Awards gala on March 10, 2011. It was my third nomination for that award and a humbling experience to be chosen.”

Stephen Slemon — English and Film Studies

John Spence — Renewable Resources; 38 years

Derek Spraakman — Maintenance Division

Sylvie Stachenko — School of Public Health

Zivodarka Stojanov — Building Services

Gregory Taylor — Biological Sciences

Chanh Tu — Biochemistry

Dennis Vance — Biochemistry; 30.4 years

“My favourite memory is watching my PhD graduate students defend their thesis.”

Jean Vance — Medicine

Michele Wagner — Ancillary Services; 35 years

Felicity Wang — HSLAS

Joel Weiner — Biochemistry; 41 years

“My favourite memory has to be all the great people I worked with including colleagues in the Biochemistry Department and all the undergraduate and graduate students who worked in my lab.”

Randall Weselake — Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science; 12 years

Anne Wright — Medicine

Li Yuan — Computing Science

Recognized Posthumously:Recognized Posthumously:

Lech Ozimek


Lech Ozimek — Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science