Date de Décès: 2007-09-14
Date de Parution: 2007-09-21
Source: Calgary Herald, AB
BURGESS, Glenn Dewey 1921 - 2007 Glenn died on September 14, 2007 after a short illness in the hospital. He was born in Whitewood, Saskatchewan on May 19, 1921 and lived an early life of any adventuresome prairie boy, which was to serve him well in his later careers. His father Dewey was the local mechanic, and his mother Pearl (nee Sproule), a descendent of proud Cree/Irish ancestry. Glenn joined the army in 1942 and was sent to England with the South Alberta Regiment. He returned with many stories of the invasion of Normandy and the liberation of Holland and Belgium. He married Kathleen McMillan in London in 1944, and she arrived in Canada in 1946 in the great wave of war brides. Glenn returned to school and received his BSc (Biology) from the University of Saskatchewan in 1950, and three years later received his MSc (parasitology and medical entomology) from McGill University. He worked with the Saskatchewan Government, specifically investigating host gophers for the wood tic and plague survey of 1953. He was an early investigator into the source of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. He and his brother Jack began a fishing camp in Careen Lake, Saskatchewan, which is still in existence. He worked for Chipman Chemicals as a pesticide consultant in the late 1950s. He moved to Calgary in 1960 with his family, and began a weed spraying business - Burgess Chemicals. He was appointed to the new Zoology department at the University of Calgary as an Instructor in 1960. He transferred to Mount Royal College, and instructed Biology and Zoology for twenty years, with time served as Department Head of Biological and Physical Sciences. He estimated that he taught biology to about 10,000 students over the years. He retired in 1986, to enjoy hunting, fishing, camping and the myriad of outdoor activities he had loved for so long. He was a grand storyteller and performer, often entertaining his biology students in class by frying up frog legs with lemon butter, and encouraging his U of C students to select their favorite rats from a barrel, for dissection. But his best loved stories were of his buddies in war, and the personal trail of liberation in Europe. He is survived by his wife Kathleen of Victoria, five children Rod (Marianne), Judy (Mitch Loreth, Victoria), David (Deborah) of Kamloops, Jill (Byron Abbey, Victoria), and Richard (Sherry). He is also survived by grandchildren Kristina (Ross Millar), Jennifer (Robin MacLellan), Chelsea Burgess, Tyson and Joel Loreth, Montana and Lucy, Michael Abbey, Katie, Georgia and Molly, and one great-granddaughter Persephone. He is predeceased by his father and mother and sister Inez. On behalf of his family, Glenn's long-time companion and friend Vivian Hansen would like to extend loving gratitude to all the residents of the Colonel Belcher seniors apartments where Glenn had lived for the last three years: Nicole, Maggie, Irish, and all the visitors to the Mad Trapper Saloon, Neil, Gilbert, Jim, and Caroline, and Chaplain Philip Costain. Much appreciation to the attendants in Unit 32 and 36 at the Foothills Hospital and Dr. Lanice Jones, whose stalwart patience and care made such a positive difference. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Salvation Army, 420 - 9 Avenue S.E., Calgary, AB T2G 0R9 (Phone 403-410-1111, www.salvationarmy.org ). To email expressions of sympathy: heritage@hffs.com, subject heading: Glenn Burgess. HERITAGE FUNERAL SERVICES "Heritage Funeral Home" Telephone: 299-0100. Published in the Calgary Herald from 9/21/2007 - 9/22/2007