Professor Andrew Walker MacFARLANE

MacFARLANE, Andrew Walker (Professor Emeritus, U.W.O.)
Andy died bravely after a short illness, having just finished his final writing project with his customary good humour, determination and grace, on Tuesday, April 23, 2002 at London, Ontario. He was the beloved husband of Betty Seldon-MacFarlane, cherished father of Jeanie (Stephen Brunt) and Catriona MacFarlane (Travis Reed), loved stepfather of Elizabeth Seldon, dear grandfather of Pamela and Jason Hrick and Nathaniel, Jacob and Hollis Brunt and son of the late Dr. Joseph Arthur MacFarlane and Marguerite Walker MacFarlane. Over the course of his long career as a journalist and educator he was the founding dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of Western Ontario and won the Poynter Institute for Media Studies National Teaching Award, did inspiring and innovative work as managing editor and executive editor of the Toronto Telegram and, for his reporting, won two National Newspaper Awards and a Bowater Award for Commonwealth and International Writing. In his public service as a professional and volunteer, he was director of the Citizens' Inquiry Branch of the Ontario Government and founder of the Advisory Council of the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship. He was a former director of the Children's Aid Society of Metropolitan Toronto, founder-director of the Canadian Medic-Alert Foundation, founder of the Canadian National Magazine Awards and of the Commonwealth Association for Education in Journalism and Communication. Dedicated to his craft, he was both teacher and mentor to many, with particular interests in aboriginal journalists and educational projects in Kenya and Tanzania. He did respected work in radio and for magazines and authored four collections of interviews and columns. Andy had a great capacity for renewal and enthusiasm and filled his retirement years with his new passion for acting, appearing in several theatrical productions (he starred as Matthew in the play Anne at London's Grand Theatre) and many small television and film roles. Visitation is 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Friday, April 26 at Westview Funeral Chapel, 709 Wonderland Road North (two blocks north of Oxford Street West 519-641-1793), London, Ontario. Funeral Service Saturday, April 27 at 2 p.m., St. Aidan's Anglican Church, 1246 Oxford Street West, London, Ontario. Private family interment. His family welcomes donations in his name to Meals on Wheels, London, Mission Services or the Victorian Order of Nurses.