Dr. William Winspear, 1934-2007

Chancellor Myer Horowitz, President David Strong and all of their colleagues and students, especially the MBA graduates of Fall Convocation 2006, are sad to acknowledge that Dr William W. Winspear, the first recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from University Canada West, died at his home near Sidney BC on June 10th 2007.

Dr Strong spoke with praise and admiration of Dr. Winspear's contributions to the worlds of Business, the Performing Arts and Education.

"Bill was a great benefactor to so many worthy causes in the Arts and Education. He took some pleasure in offering kindly advice to our graduating class last Fall, and now that we understand the severity of his illness, we appreciate even more the time and effort he put into making Convocation a special occasion for our first graduating class" said Dr. Strong. Dr. Winspear was unable to leave his winter home in Dallas last November for health reasons and so he addressed the students through a DVD which was played during the Convocation and is available on the UCW website.

Dr. Horowitz reminded us that it is thanks to Dr. Winspear's generosity that the gardens and grounds at the UCW campus are looking so well tended. "Bill was a great man with strong roots on Vancouver Island and in Edmonton, his birth place. Although most of the past 30 years he worked in Dallas, and retained a residence there even after his retirement in 2002, he loved to spend his summers in Victoria. We are honored at University Canada West that he accepted our first Honorary Degree - it could not have gone to a better person."