Charles Beresford BOURNE

Charles Beresford Bourne
Charles Beresford Bourne passed away on June 25, 2012 at South Granville Park Lodge at age 91. Charles is survived by wife Barbara, children Frances, Peter and Angela, grandson Christopher and brother Hilary. He was predeceased by brother Beresford and sister Portia. Charles was born February 19, 1921 at Congo Road, St. Philip, Barbados to Lillian May Ward and Reverend Beresford Bourne. He left Barbados to pursue a career in law, completing a B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1945, an L.L.M. from Cambridge in 1947 and an S.J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1970. Charles took a position at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Law in 1947. He married Barbara in Barbados in 1949 and in 1950 he moved to Vancouver to join U.B. C.'s Faculty of Law. Charles served as special advisor to the president from 1975 to 1986, when he retired as Professor Emeritus. Charles became a world renowned scholar in the areas of water resources law and the law of the sea. He acted as president of the Canadian British International Law Association (1961-64), worked as Academic-in-Residence for External Affairs (1971-72), served as president of the Canadian Council of International Law (1978-80), was a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague (1978-84), was an advisor to the International Joint Commission in Ottawa, and Chairman on the International Law Association Committee on International Water Resources Law (1990-2000). He wrote numerous articles, including International Water Law (1997), and served as Editor-in-Chief for The Canadian Yearbook of International Law (1962-93). Charles received many honours including Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1979, the John E. Read Medal from the Canadian Council of International Law in 1986, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from U.B. C. in 1993 and the U.B. C. Alumni Award for Research in 2011. In retirement Charles continued to work and travel but also pursued other interests including walking, gardening and croquet. He joined Brock House Society, where he mastered croquet, winning several B. C. Senior Croquet Championships. Charles served as president of Brock House from 1997-1999.Scholar, man of integrity, loving husband, caring father, proud grandfather, trusted friend, Charles will be greatly missed. Charles's life was celebrated on July 3, 2012 at St. Anselm's Church, Vancouver. He was interred later that day at Ocean View Burial Park, Burnaby.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the B. C. Cancer Foundation or Brock House Society.