RUTH ELIZABETH "BETH" BILSON

Ruth Elizabeth "Beth" Bilson, PhD, K.C. (July 19, 1946 – August 13, 2025) - On a night of shooting stars, thunder and lightning, and unexpected fireworks, our dear Beth left us. A beloved mother, grandmother, sister, auntie and friend, she will be missed by many close to her as well as by the Saskatoon university, legal and non-profit communities. Beth was born in 1946 in Regina, but moved to Saskatoon in time to start kindergarten and remained in Saskatoon for most of her life. The oldest of five children, she was often called on to herd the other four, especially during the year and a half the family lived in Tehran in the early 1960s and during a rambling trip through Europe on the way home. These early experiences of other cultures helped shape her boundless curiosity. As she grew up, she excelled at school, not so much at playing violin, and started her love affair with books. Beth started first year at the University of Saskatchewan at the age of 17. She finished three degrees there, and went on to join the U of S Law faculty in 1979 after completing her PhD in Law at the University of London. Her extraordinary combination of sharp intellect, compassion, humour and unflagging work ethic won her generations of fans among her students and colleagues. Beth became the first woman Dean of the College of Law and later served in numerous other leadership positions within the university, including as Acting Dean of Education and University Secretary. Little did she know when she arrived on campus as a teen that her relationship with the university would continue for most of the next 62 years. Outside the university, she became well known in legal circles as a labour arbitrator and, from 1992 to 1997, as the first female chair of the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board. In 2004, she authored the Bilson Report, the influential recommendations of the federal Pay Equity Task Force, which she'd chaired. Beth was a devoted volunteer in the legal community, which included serving as a Bencher of the Law Society of Saskatchewan for a number of years, a role that she viewed as a tremendous privilege. She won many awards and accolades for her work. The Louis St-Laurent Award of Excellence, the highest recognition given by the Canadian Bar Association, for a lifetime of outstanding service to the legal profession and society at large was among the most meaningful to her. Also notable was the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal bestowed on her in 2023 for her contributions to the Province of Saskatchewan. In 2024, she and two colleagues published Creating a Seat at the Table, a book of essays by female lawyers about their experiences as women in the legal profession, and followed that up with an accessible podcast called Dear Beth: A Women in Law Podcast. Over the years, she also chaired the Board of United Way Saskatoon and served on the Board of the Wanuskewin Heritage Park. In 2016, she was recognized as Canon Emeritus of the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon after serving for 17 years as the diocesan chancellor. Although she was devoted to her career, Beth was even more devoted to her family. She met the love of her life, Geoffrey Bilson, while finishing her History MA at U of S. Her children, Max and Kate, were born when Beth was in her 20s – too young, as she put it, to worry about following the advice of parenting books. They remember her as a caring and playful mom who didn't need an authoritarian approach to achieve discipline. Geoff had Welsh roots, and the family spent idyllic vacations exploring North Wales from the comfort of their little house there, as well as a memorable two years living in London. The great tragedy in the family's life was Geoff's sudden death in 1987. With the birth of her grandson, Alexander, in 2008, Beth was thrilled to take on a new role. Besides regular visits, their annual Grandma Camp blossomed from fun activities near his home in Calgary to travels for two that included a Norwegian coastal cruise. Probably Beth's biggest hobby was nurturing relationships. She was a thoughtful and relentless giver of gifts. A talented and adventurous cook, she hosted gatherings in her homes for family and friends, her students and once, a Supreme Court Justice. She was also very skilled with a needle. Many people and quite a few stuffies benefitted from her ability to turn out charming sweaters and dresses. Beth's talent for remembering everything she'd read – usually two or three books a week – made her a lively conversationalist, though she could be a fearsome opponent in debate. Special thanks to Drs. Manna, Hart and Harrison, who have provided excellent care to Beth, as well as to the outstanding team in the Palliative Care Unit at St. Paul's Hospital. Beth will be terribly missed by her children, Max Bilson (Jane Chapco) and Kate Bilson (Glen Wilson); and grandson, Alexander; by her siblings, Ellen Heaney (John), Ian McLeod (Vicki), Brian McLeod (Lorraine Thomas) and Morna McLeod (David Firman) and their families; by her nephew, David Bilson (Jayne) and his family; by her step-grandchildren, Drew Wilson (Krista) and Alexandra Wilson (Jonathan); by her other extended family, and by her many friends, especially Pat and Dale Miquelon, Gene Anne Smith, Norma Sim and Brea Lowenberger. A memorial gathering to honour Beth Bilson will be held at the University of Saskatchewan Health Sciences Building, Large Lecture Hall, on September 6, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. The event will be livestreamed. A reception will follow at the College of Law. You are invited to wear bright colours in some form to reflect the bright light that Beth brought to the world. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the University of Saskatchewan College of Law Scholarship Fund or to United Way Saskatoon. To share memories and condolences or to view the livestream, please visit www.parkfuneral.ca. Arrangements entrusted to Park Funeral Home, 306-244-2103.