Notice Board

The University of Lethbridge expresses its sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of U of L professor emeritus and founding member of the Faculty of Education, Dr. Gordon Campbell.

Campbell, who started at the U of L in 1969 as an associate professor, gained full professor status in 1976 and remained with the University until his retirement in 1987. He would later move to British Columbia where he was residing with his wife, Sylvia, until his passing in Vancouver on May 1, 2017 at the age of 95.

Noted as a builder and leader, Campbell was one of the founding members of the University's Faculty of Education. Former dean and professor emeritus, Arthur Loewen says that Campbell played a major role in establishing the principles that still guide the Faculty today.

“We all came with similar experiences of teacher education programs and many of those experiences weren’t very positive," says Loewen. "We had knowledgeable people in our group and we decided we would improve on what we knew, and decided we would be different.”

Campbell came to the U of L from Selkirk College and took great pride in his developmental role at the University.

“He was a man of innovative ideas and was quite a popular instructor with the students," adds Loewen. "He took on leadership roles in a number of efforts in the Faculty and was probably the first faculty member to take students on educational trips overseas. I remember him taking a group to China when China was not an open society yet.”

Campbell was also busy in his community. A lover of music, he played the organ and was choir leader for First Baptist Church. He also worked to engage the citizens of southern Alberta and played a prominent role in the establishment of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA).

“A number of community-minded people, including Gordon Campbell, established Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) 50 years ago. However, the longevity of SACPA is without a doubt the result of Gordon’s tireless work on promoting community and democratic values and his insistence that Lethbridge needs a non-partisan public forum, where a wide range of issues can be freely discussed regularly," says Knud Petersen, a SACPA Board of Directors member.

A concurrent memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. PST Saturday, May 20 at Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church in Vancouver and simulcast at 12 p.m. at McKillop United Church located at 2329 15 Ave. S.

The University will lower its flag this weekend in honour of Campbell and his contributions to the U of L.