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Ruth Isabel Brown passed away on Dec. 8, 2021. She was 105. She is survived by her nieces, Brenda Brochu, Esther Brown, and Beverley Brown; grandniece Denise Brochu and grandnephew Vincent Brochu and their families. She was predeceased by her parents and brother Bob Brown.

Ruth was born in Ensleigh, Alta., on Oct. 29, 1916. Her father returned from the First World War only to die in the flu epidemic of 1919. Her mother was forced to move back to her family's farm, near Daysland, east of Camrose. Ruth experienced first-hand the drought and hardship of the Great Depression on a western farm. By the time the Second World War broke out in 1939, she was working for the Alberta Department of Education in Edmonton. She enlisted in the WRENs and served in Scotland as a "captain's writer" attached to H.M.C.S. Naden. It was a transformational experience.

After discharge she obtained a BA from Queen's, followed by a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto. After graduation, she worked in the field of child welfare in Toronto. She then moved to Ottawa to work in policy for the Department of Health and Welfare, where she was involved with the development of the Canada Health Act and universal medical insurance. Throughout her life she exhibited dignity, exceptional discipline, intelligence, and a profound determination to be independent. She cherished her health, her house, her life, and friends in the Glebe (Ottawa), a parade of cats, an array of newspapers and, paradoxically, ballroom dancing. She was an inspiration to all.

Douglas F. Barbour passed away on Sept. 25, 2021. He was 81. He is survived by his wife, Sharon; his nephews Greg Barbour (Monica, Anja, Kael) and Jay Barbour (Anne, Gerritt); his godchildren, Annie and Michael Beard (Sanja, Daniel, Lukas); and a wide family of friends and relatives.

Family, friends, and colleagues of Edmonton poet and critic, Douglas Barbour, are mourning his loss. A professor at the University of Alberta for many years, he was an active member of the Edmonton literary community, supporting local events and poets, and bringing in readers, often putting them up, to share with his community. As co-founder of NeWest Press, he was a supporter of Western Canadian writers; as a poet, he was an ambassador for Canadian poetry in his national and international reading tours. He was in contact with fellow poets around the world until his death.

In 2003, Douglas was inaugurated into the City of Edmonton Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was given a lifetime achievement award for outstanding contribution to Canadian literature by the Alberta Book Publishers Association. Just recently, the association renamed the speculative fiction award the Douglas Barbour Speculative Fiction Award in recognition of his critical contributions to the field of science fiction and fantasy.

He is being remembered by many for his generosity, his kindness, and his joyous engagement with life: art, music, poetry, and everyone around him.

Hugh passed away in Toronto on May 15 from a tragic accident. We are devastated but comforted by the memories of his many accomplishments, infectious personality and wit, love of music, sports, travel, exotic food and drink, and his instinctive curiosity and cheekiness. At Queen’s, Hugh studied economics. He had an uncanny ability to bring people together and was always eager to plan and host gatherings around the campus. Hugh is survived by the love of his life, Jessica, Artsci’16; his mum, Sheilagh; dad, Greg; brother, Jake; Nanna, June; and the Boys.