Farewell to the alumni and friends we lost this year

GERALD AUGUSTINE PAUL REGAN (’52) died on November 26, 2019. He attended St. Mary’s University and Dalhousie law school and began practising law in 1954, eventually becoming one of Nova Scotia’s most active labour lawyers throughout the 1960s. In 1963 he was elected to the House of Commons as a member of Parliament and elected Leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party two years later. He then served as MLA for Halifax-Needham from 1967 to 1980 and then as Premier of Nova Scotia for 1970 to 1978. He returned to federal politics in 1980, as MP and over the next four years, held various portfolios in the federal cabinets of Pierre Trudeau and John Turner. After politics he went into private business as a consultant and served as a director of a number of Canadian companies. From 1990 to 2014, he was counsel to McInnes Cooper and its predecessor law firm.

ELEANOR JOYCE DICKEY (’54) died on May 6, 2019. She earned her bachelor of arts degree at Dalhousie University and then graduated from law school, where she was one of only three women in her class. She was an avid skier and golfer, enjoyed tennis and sailing and was a star player on the Dalhousie women’s varsity hockey team in her university years. She was a dedicated volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society, Home of the Guardian Angel and spent more than a decade with Halifax Meals on Wheels, delivering meals and serving as President.

GORDON HODGES MCCONNEL (’54) died on July 24, 2019. He graduated from Mount Allison University and then Dalhousie University with his law degree. In 1962 he moved his family to KitchenerWaterloo, ON and became assistant counsel with Mutual Life and later corporate counsel with BF Goodrich. In 1969 he was called to the Bench and was appointed senior judge for the region in 1982. He was the first Ontario judge to support restorative justice, a model which has been adopted worldwide.

JOHN FRANCIS ROWE (’54) died on May 16, 2019. He earned his law degree at Dalhousie University and after working many years abroad, he served as president of the Halifax Construction Association. He volunteered his time with many organizations including Rotary International, The Halifax Citadel Regimental Association and The Halifax Highland Games Committee.

JOHN WALLACE ALWARD (’55) died on September 1, 2019. After earning his bachelor of arts degree at the University of New Brunswick and his law degree at Dalhousie University, he practised at the Halifax law firm Daley, Ritchie, Black & Moreira for 50 years. A longtime reservist, he held various positions in the Canadian Armed Forces (Militia) and was most recently appointed Honorary Colonel of the 1st (Halifax-Dartmouth) Field Artillery Regiment. He was also actively involved with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and served on the King’s College Board of Governors. In 2004-2005 he was named Honourary President of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society.

JOHN CARNELL CROSBIE (’56) died on January 10, 2020. He attended Queen’s University where he was awarded the Gold Medal in Political Science and Dalhousie University, graduating as the University Medalist in Law. He moved on to postgraduate studies at the University of London and London School of Economics and was called to the Bar in 1957. He went on to become one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s and Canada’s most notable political figures, enjoying a remarkable career in public life, serving in municipal government, the Newfoundland House of Assembly, the House of Commons and as LieutenantGovernor of Newfoundland and Labrador. After retiring from politics he served for 14 years as the Chancellor of Memorial University. He also worked as legal counsel and director of several institutions, community organizations and private companies. Among his honours were Chancellor of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador, Honourary Chief of the Newfoundland Constabulary, Honourary Colonel of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, Officer of the Order of Canada, Queen’s Counsel, Member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Knight of Justice of the Order of St. John. He also held many honourary Doctor of Laws degrees, including one from Dalhousie University.

SALLY LOMAS (’56) died on January 29, 2020. She obtained a bachelor of commerce and a bachelor of laws degree from Dalhousie University followed by a master of laws degree from Harvard University.

JAMES EDWARD DONAHOE (’57) died on October 23, 2019. After earning his law degree from Dalhousie University he worked in the banking industry and rose to senior executive level before his retirement.

MICHAEL DONALD MACDONALD (’57) died on April 16, 2019. After graduating with his law degree from Dalhousie University he began his career in law in Halifax, practising with Burchill, Smith and Jost. In 1966, he joined the Edmonton, AB firm, Clement, Parlee, Irving, Henning, Mustard & Rodney (now Parlee McLaws LLP), where he was a partner and litigator for over 40 years. An engaged member of the community,

he held many board and public service appointments including Chair of the Edmonton Police Commission, Chair of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Board and Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Athabasca. He had an intense love of politics, and ran as a Liberal candidate in four federal elections during the 1970’s and 80’s.

D. MERLIN NUNN (’57) died on May 21, 2020. He obtained a bachelor of arts degree and a bachelor of education degree from St. Francis Xavier University and then taught school in Manitoba for two years. He then earned his bachelor of laws degree from Dalhousie University and his master of laws degree from Harvard. In 1960, he began working as a lecturer at Dalhousie Law School and joined the law firm of Rutledge, MacKeigan, Cragg and Downie, becoming a partner in 1967. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1972 and in 1973 became a senior partner at Cox, Downie, Nunn, and Goodfellow. In 1978, he was appointed as the first Chairman of the Nova Scotia Civil Service Employee Relations Board. In 1982, he was appointed a Judge of the Trial Division for the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. In 1997, Justice Nunn was appointed Conflict of Interest Commissioner for the Province of Nova Scotia. He held the position for 21 years, making him the longest serving Conflict of Interest Commissioner in the history of Nova Scotia.

WILLIAM BERTRAM WHITE (’57) died on April 27, 2019. After deciding against a possible career in hockey, he graduated from Dalhousie University with his law degree and went on to practice law in Moncton, NB for 46 years.

JOHN MACLENNAN BUCHANAN (’58) died on October 3, 2019. After graduating from Mount Allison University with a bachelor of science degree and an engineering certificate, he earned his law degree at Dalhousie University and practised in Halifax. He was elected Premier of Nova Scotia in 1978 and was reelected for three more terms becoming the third longest serving Premier in the history of Nova Scotia. He was sworn into the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada by Queen Elizabeth II, in recognition of his role in the patriation of the Constitution along with a number of other provincial Premiers. In 1990, he was summoned to the Senate of Canada and served in the upper chamber for 16 years.

JOSEPH ADRIEN JEAN FORGET (’58) died on March 8, 2020. He graduated from the University of Ottawa with a bachelor of arts degree and then Dalhousie University with a law degree. He practiced law in Cornwall, ON for many years as a partner in the law firm of Lamoureux, Rouleau and Forget. He was appointed to the Bench in 1976 in Sudbury, ON, transferred to Cornwall in 1982 and then to Ottawa in 1993. He retired after serving over 32 years. He was very active in his community serving as President of the Richelieu Club of Cornwall, as Chairman of the Board of the Cornwall Hotel Dieu Hospital, and as a long-time member of the City of Cornwall Planning Board. He was also a past President of the Ontario County and District Judges Association. For many years, he served as a member with the Pension Appeals Board.

CALVIN MURDOCH MAYO (’59) died on November 18, 2019. He attended Maritime Business College and then enrolled at Memorial University and became a member of the Royal Canadian Navy Reserves Naval Training Division. He went on to earn his law degree at Dalhousie University and was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland.

DONALD AUBREY MACDONALD (’60) died on September 30, 2019. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from St. Francis Xavier University and then his law degree from Dalhousie University. After graduation he moved to Red Deer, AB where he practiced law for almost 30 years. In 1991, he moved to Calgary where he started his second career at the Calgary Drop-In Centre. He was a manager of employment services there until his mid 70’s and described those years as some of the best of his life, enabling him to live out his passion for social justice and his belief that everyone is deserving of being treated fairly and with dignity.

DOUGLAS FLETCHER SMITH (’60) died on January 16, 2020. He earned his bachelor of commerce and bachelor of laws degrees from Dalhousie University then practiced real estate law in Ottawa, ON first at Gowlings and then as a partner at Hewitt, Hewitt, Nesbitt, Reid for nearly 25 years.

JOHN LAWSON MACDONALD JONSTON (’61) died on March 12, 2020. He earned a bachelor of science degree from Acadia University and then a law degree from Dalhousie University. He was appointed Queens Counsel in 1977. He served on numerous boards in Alberta and nationally including a term as President of the Canadian Cancer Society. In 1988 he was awarded the Canadian Cancer Society’s 50th Anniversary Certificate for Outstanding Contributions to the Organization.

IAN HUGH MACDONALD (’65) died on March 17, 2019. He earned his bachelor of arts degree at St. Francis Xavier University and then his law degree at Dalhousie University. After law school he practiced in Yarmouth, NS until his retirement in 2006.

FRANCIS PAUL FOWLER (’66) died on February 18, 2020. He earned his undergraduate degree at St. Dunstan’s University and then went on to receive his law degree from Dalhousie University. He practiced with Benson Buffett PLC Inc. in St. John’s, NL. He was a leader in the community, serving many organizations including the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador,

the Rotary, the Archdiocese, the Neighbourhood Goodwill Center, Gathering Place, Presentation Associate Relationship, Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, and the Boy Scouts of Canada.

THOMAS JOSEPH O’REILLY (’67) died on November 16, 2019. After graduating from Dalhousie University with his law degree he returned to Newfoundland to practice. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1980 and Master of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1988. He was a former President of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Branch of the Canadian Bar Association and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In 2019, at the age of 78, Best Lawyers named him St. John’s Insurance Lawyer of the Year. He also gave his time and expertise generously to his community, serving on many boards and committees over the years and in recent years was an invaluable contributor to the Gathering Place which he championed as providing care, support and compassion to some of St. John’s most vulnerable.

GEORGE DAVID MARTIN (’68) died on March 23, 2020. He earned a bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degree from Memorial University and began his first career as a teacher. During the summer break he worked as a labourer in the paper mill in Corner Brook to save enough money to attend law school. After graduating with his law degree from Dalhousie University, he returned to Newfoundland and was a founding partner in the law firm Martin, Whalen, Hennebury and Stamp.

SCOTT IAN BUSHNELL (’69) died on May 14, 2019. He earned a bachelor of science degree at the University of Guelph, a law degree at Dalhousie University and a masters of law degree at Osgoode Hall. He was a professor of law, first at the University of Western Ontario and then at the University of Windsor until he retired in 2003. Ian proudly published two books: The Federal Court of Canada- A History 1875- 1992 and The Captive Court- A Study of the Supreme Court of Canada. He was also a retired Lieutenant (Royal Canadian Navy).

BARRIE HAROLD BLACK (’71) died on September 16, 2019. He was an advocate, mentor, connector, confidant, entrepreneur and athlete. He was known for his larger-thanlife personality, amazing sense of humour, witty banter and great storytelling.

MARK JOSEPH GASTON LAROSE (’71) died on February 22, 2020. He earned a bachelor of arts degree at Saint Mary’s University, and his law degree at Dalhousie University. After being called to the Bar, he practiced law in Welland, ON for the last 46 years, most recently with Flett Beccario Barristers & Solicitors. He was involved in politics, sat on the Welland City Council and also ran for the Provincial Liberal Party.

DAVID GORDON COTTENDEN (’72) died on December 19, 2019. After earning his bachelor of commerce and law degrees from Dalhousie University he moved to Bridgetown, NS where he joined the law firm Orlando and Hicks. He served as Bridgetown Town Solicitor for eight years, Federal Crown Prosecutor for Annapolis County for 12 years and was appointed Queens Counsel in 1988. The majority of his practice was devoted to Divorce and Family Law, Civil Litigation, Estate Practice and Probate and Property Law.

WAYNE MORRIS KELSIE (’72) died on September 11, 2019. He graduated from Saint Mary’s University with a bachelor of arts degree, and then earned his law degree at Dalhousie University. He worked for many years in the Halifax, NS area prior to moving to North West River, Labrador to work with the Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission. He also worked with the Innu Development Limited Partnership in Happy ValleyGoose Bay, Labrador where he worked closely with the Natuashish and Sheshatshiu Innu communities.

MARY MARGARET HELLEINER (’74) died on March 4, 2020. She earned her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and then her law degree from Dalhousie University. She was employed by the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society as Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Law Foundation during its early years.

CASTOR HENRY FRANKLIN WILLIAMS (’76) died on May 22, 2019. Before graduating from Dalhousie with his bachelor of arts and law degrees, he had a career in his birth country Antigua as a civil servant, and then served in the British Army. He began his law career in Halifax, practising independently until 1992 when he began working as a Crown Attorney in Dartmouth. He was appointed to the Bench in 1996, becoming the first black provincial court judge of Nova Scotia. He sat as a full-time judge until his mandatory retirement at age 70 and continued for another five years after that working part-time. He was a founding member of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), chairperson of the Black Learners Advisory Committee (BLAC Report), former president of the Black Lawyers Association of Nova Scotia, Honorary Consulate of Antigua and Barbuda for the Atlantic Provinces, helped establish the Council on African Canadian Education, had an active involvement in the African Caribbean Association of Nova Scotia and the West Indian Commonwealth Society, and was a board member on the Dartmouth Sportsplex and Dartmouth Work Activity Society.

CHRISTOPHER BRUCE CHARBONNEAU (’79) died on January 29, 2020. After graduating from Dalhousie University with his law degree, he relocated to Kelowna, BC and for much of his career practiced law with the Legal Services Society until he moved on to solo practice dealing primarily with property matters.

EVELYNE MELTZER (’79) died on July 19, 2019. She earned her bachelor of arts degree and bachelor of laws degree from Dalhousie University, and went on to graduate with a master of laws degree from the University of Washington. She worked in Canada and abroad in public and private capacities, focusing on international law, coastal and ocean resource issues, international development, human rights and community economic development. She taught at Dalhousie University and Saint Mary’s University, was a visiting professor at the World Maritime University in Sweden and served on the Board of Inquiry for the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. She participated in negotiating policy and treaties in Canada, and at the UN as a member of several delegations, including the UN Law of the Sea Conference, preparatory meetings to the UN Conference on Environment and Development, UN Conference on Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, and the subsequent UN Review Conference. She was also a noted writer, publishing numerous articles and reports, and most importantly, her major 2009 book (with Susanna Fuller), The Quest for Sustainable International Fisheries. She was involved in several non-profit and community initiatives and in recognition of her dedication and service, received the UN Global Citizens Award in 1995. She was honoured by her government and aboriginal colleagues as federal chair of the Nova Scotia Sustainable Communities Initiative from 1999-2002 and in 2010 was recognized by the Canadian Progress Club (Halifax Chapter) as a recipient of the Women of Excellence Award.

PAUL ALEXANDER DANCAUSE (’84) died on July 5, 2019. After earning his law degree at Dalhousie University he was called to the Bar in Ontario and opened his sole practice in 1997 in the area of wills and estates and estate litigation. He was a member of the Estates Subcommittee in Toronto, presenter of numerous estate-related topics at Continuing Legal Education and CPD conferences over the last 25 years, a professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law and former head instructor at the Ottawa Bar Admission Course (Estate Planning and Administration).

CLYDE LESLIE NICKERSON (’85) died on October 25, 2019. After a long and accomplished career in the military, as a police officer, and as a navigator, he graduated from Dalhousie University with his law degree. He was over 40 when he graduated and started practicing law. He worked as a lawyer for 20 years, and then returned to military service in 2001 as commanding officer for the 357 Barrington Sea Cadets. This final military service earned Clyde his 12-year Canadian Forces’ Decoration.

MAX WILLIAM RICHARDSON (’86) died on March 26, 2019. He served in the US Army for four years and then returned home to Missouri to study at Northeast Missouri State University. His early working years were spent as an auditor with Georgia-Pacific Building Supplies. He then immigrated to Canada and earned his law degree from Dalhousie University and settled in Fredericton, NB to practice law until shortly before his death.

RONALD DIETER RICHTER (’92) died on June 23, 2019. He earned his bachelor of arts and law degrees from Dalhousie University and practiced law in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia for 25 years.

NICOLE JENNIFER CARDIN (’13) died on November 1, 2018.

ROLAND SNELGROVE (’77) died on March 4, 2020. He earned a bachelor of arts degree at Memorial University and then a law degree at Dalhousie University. He was a partner at Cox & Palmer’s St. John’s, NL office and practiced in the areas of real estate and property law.

JACK SANDY TSE (’84) died on April 27, 2020 after battling COVID-19 for more than a month. He attended Innis College (University of Toronto) and then Dalhousie University where he graduated with his law degree. He first worked as an Assistant Crown Attorney in Newmarket, ON, and then joined the Crown Law Office – Criminal (CLOC) in Toronto in the late 1990s, where he worked on appeals and special prosecutions. Sandy was a nationally recognized expert in the law of search and seizure, electronic surveillance and lawful justification. He was a skilled litigator who appeared before all levels of Court, including several appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada. After his retirement from CLOC on December 31, 2019, he became counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

FRIENDS OF THE LAW SCHOOL

MILDRED IRENE MACDONALD passed away on December 12, 2019. Mildred was the former Secretary to the Dean and retired as Administrator after 30 years of service in 1992. She was a devoted patron of the arts, a canoeing enthusiast and avid skier, swimmer and walker. Upon retirement she returned to Merigomish, NS and enjoyed working in her garden, taking walks and swimming at Big Island Beach.

SHEILA WILE died on March 6, 2020. She was Secretarial Supervisor and Secretary to the Chair of Graduate Studies until her retirement. During her time at Weldon she was awarded the Rosemary Gill Award for outstanding service to students. She was an avid knitter and served for a time as the Secretary for the Colchester Scottish Society. She enjoyed Scottish Country Dancing and after retirement took up bowling, line dancing and was part of a knitting group. She will be fondly remembered for her famous Scottish shortbread she would bake and gift to faculty and staff during the holidays.