Dr. John L. Jambor

Dr. John L. Jambor 1936 2008 John died after living with cancer for 10 months. He knew he lived his life well and was content in his acceptance of the inevitable. After receiving his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in geology from the University of British Columbia, John Jambor joined the Geological Survey of Canada in Ottawa in 1960, initially in the Petrological Sciences Division and later in the Economic Geology Division. During this period, he received his Ph.D from Carleton University in 1966. John's life-long affair with innocuous-appearing supergene minerals dates back to his bachelor's thesis and his work at Galena Hill in the Yukon. In the early 1980s, when acid drainage from mine wastes was gaining prominence as environmental and economic liabilities for the metal-mining industry, his familiarity with oxidation processes led to collaborative and productive studies with geochemists who were investigating the generation and attenuation of acid drainage. Late in 1993, John returned to his roots in the Vancouver area, continuing his work in environmental mineralogy as Adjunct Professor at both the University of Waterloo and at the University of British Columbia, and as the principal of Leslie Research and Consulting. He has been the recipient of several national and international awards: including, from Mineralogical Association of Canada, the Hawley Award (1970), the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal (1977), the Berry Medal (1991), and the Past Presidents' Medal (2002) awarded to scientists who have made significant contributions to the mineralogical sciences during their career. He has been an Honorary Life Member of MAC since 1982. He received the Barlow Medal from the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and recently was honored with a Life Membership. Dr. Jambor has published widely, making important contributions in the fields of mineralogy, petrology, crystallography, and mineral deposits (134 refereed publications and over 200 other publications). Dr. Jambor also contributed to the earth sciences through editorial duties, of which the most significant are Scientific Editor of The Canadian Mineralogist (19711975); Co-Editor, The Canadian Mineralogist (19751977); New Minerals Editor, American Mineralogist (19892007); Consulting Editor for Exploration and Mining Geology (19911999). Dr. Jambor has also been editor or co-editor of seven special issues, short courses and related books, as well as series editor for five Mineralogical Association of Canada short courses. In recognition, he has been awarded the L.G. Berry Medal (MAC), Honorary Life Membership (MAC), and the Julian Boldy Memorial Award (CIM Geological Society). Dr. Jambor's interests included environmental mineralogy when environmental mineralogy was not even named as a science. John's personal interest in scientific work, whether directed to pure or applied objectives, never waned. His career at the Geological Survey and CANMET (Natural Resources Canada) spanned 33 years followed by 14 years as Principal of Leslie Research and Consulting in BC. He worked as hard in `retirement' as in his first career. He had special relationships with many fellow scientists and colleagues including Drs. David Blowes, John Dutrizac, and Louis Cabri along with many others too numerous to name. You know who you are and you know how much he genuinely valued all those collaborations. His delight in identifying new minerals was a joy to see. His eyes would literally light up and then he was a happy man. He knew in his heart of hearts that freezers in the kitchen were invented to hold core samples and the `good china' was `good' because it was the right depth and shape for evaporation procedures. The Group of Seven wine group was an important part of John's life. He was most happy in your company. The triumphant and superbly memorable blind tastings were always a source of happy reminiscence. He kept something aside for the 200th anniversary of the Group of Seven get togethers and, though he would not expect it, we know there will be a glass or two raised in his memory. John started curling in 1963 as a `therapeutic' alternative to working on his PhD. The years that John and Lynne curled 150 times a year were great fun. John made life-long friends at CityView (Nepean) and at Tunnel Town (Tsawwassen) most of whom never knew what he did for a living, but grew to appreciate the quietly skilled competitor with a love for wine and a great appreciation for the game he loved. John's only instruction to Lynne on moving from Ontario to BC was to find out where the curling clubs were so we could be within ? hour of the closest one. He was competitive yet knew how to be graceful no matter what the result. He curled at least 2 times a week until he could physically no longer do so and was glad that his illness was diagnosed after he had completed his commitments to his curling team. That was John. Over the last weeks many of you have sent encouraging and thoughtful cards and letters that John enjoyed re-reading many times. He was a modest man who was surprised and pleased to learn he had made an impact on the lives of his colleagues. John was exceedingly generous professionally and your thanks to him helped make his last weeks peaceful and serene. John did not believe in an afterlife, though, he might have considered it if there was proof he could take sample bags and a box of green editing pens with him to continue the work he loved. He is survived by his son Jay and his wife Lynne; his sisters-in-law Margaret Heenan and nieces Aretha and Madeline, and Janet (John) Davies, nephews on the McCarthy side particularly William (Dolores), and his far away daughters Allison and Leslie Jambor and granddaughter Shizen. We want to particularly thank Dr. Colleen Lee and the Delta Home Support group. Thank You. For those of you who know John well, you will not be surprised that he requested that there be no funeral. He will be interred at Ocean View Burial Park, 400 Imperial Street, Saturday, January 26, 2008 at 12 noon, with his sister Alice McCarthy, and Mother and Father Joanna and John Jambor, followed by an open house afterwards from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Donations can be made to the University of Waterloo Adrian Smith Lecture Series c/o Dr. David Blowes or to the John Jambor Foundation, supporting the education of doctors involved in cancer research at the Vancouver General Hospital.