Kenneth Russell HUGHES

DR. KENNETH RUSSELL
HUGHES, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

Ken was born in Winnipeg on May 7,
1933 and died in Goderich, Ontario
on June 10, 2016 at the Alexandra
Marine and General Hospital (AMGH)
in Goderich.
   Ken is missed by Nancy, his wife of
26 years, and by his son, Simon
(Christabel Wiebe) and two
grandchildren, his younger sister,
Laurelle Murdoch, and Marion Martin,
all of Winnipeg. His older sister,
Eleanor Williams, resides in Sorrento,
B. C. Ken was dear to his two
stepsons, John R. Graham (Angela
Watson), and their three children,
and Jeff D. Graham (Eva Serrano)
Ken was predeceased by his parents,
Frank and Doris (Fallows), and by his
sister, Doreen (Albert Dawson).
   The recipient of numerous academic
scholarships, Ken was educated in
the prairie one-room schoolhouse,
Brandon College (now Brandon
University), the University of
Manitoba, where he completed his
Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts
degrees, and the University of
Chicago where he obtained his Ph.D
in 1961, majoring in Psychology and
Neuro-Physiology.
   After joining the staff of the at the
Faculty of Medicine at the University
of Manitoba in September, 1961, he
began an illustrious academic career,
first as Associate Professor, then
quickly climbed the ladder to
Provost, Associate Dean of Medicine,
and Vice President of Research. But
the pinnacle of his academic career
was his appointment as Dean of
Graduate Studies, a post he enjoyed
for 15 years until his retirement in
1998. An exemplary academic,
dedicated to the advancement of
education in Canada at all levels, Ken
worked faithfully for the University
of Manitoba, one of the loves of his
life. He travelled to many countries
around the world representing the
University in a variety of roles. Ken
was deeply honoured when he was
awarded the title of Dean Emeritus,
being the first Dean of Graduate
Studies in the 140 year history of the
institution to receive this recognition.
   Ken fought poor health for much of
his life. He suffered the onset of
kidney disease at the age of 15, and
was often too ill to study. In the early
years of his renal failure, little was
known of methods of treatment;
however, his sister, Laurelle, offered
to be his donor for a kidney
transplant. The surgery was
successfully performed in Winnipeg
in October 1974 and the resulting
unwavering bond between Laurelle
and Ken was evident to all. Ken,
known as the 'miracle man', told his
own story many times in his
retirement years in Ontario in various
communities. He was indeed an
inspiration to renal disease survivors
Ken found time to serve as President
of the Canadian Kidney Foundation,
and a member of the Canadian Blood
Services Board, and on many
hospital boards, both in Winnipeg
and Goderich.
   Ken and Nancy retired to Goderich
where they enjoyed wonderful years
together living in Nancy's family's
heritage home, where friends and
family were welcome, and those
happy memories will live on. All who
knew Ken thought him a gentle man
with a clever wit, a magnificent
brain, a keen sense of humour, and a
gentleman.
   During the thirteen years that Ken
and Nancy lived in retirement in
Goderich Ken became active in a
men's chorus, 'The Harbouraires', a
member of the Goderich Lion's Club,
a member of the Reuben Sallows
Gallery Board, a member of the
Board of Directors of the Goderich
Hospital and he advocated for
Dialysis services to be available in
the town.
   The family will receive friends at
McCallum & Palla Funeral Home, 11
Cambria Road North, Goderich
(519-524-7345) on Friday, June 17,
2016 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. A
Celebration of Life will be held on
Saturday, June 18, 2016 at 11:00
a.m. at Lakeshore United Church,
North Street, Goderich, Ontario. In
lieu of flowers, donations to the
Canadian Kidney Foundation would
be appreciated. Friends may sign the
book of condolences at
www.mccallumpalla.ca