Rebecca N. WARBURTON

October 17, 1953 - March 13, 2024

Rebecca Nunn Warburton, health economist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Victoria, died suddenly March 13th, 2024. She is survived by husband of 43 years Bill, son Dave and fiancé Ethan, their dog Finn, whom she adored, and brother Eric Nunn. They are joined in their sadness by many to whom she gave so much of her seemingly limitless time and energy: Jean, Michael and Pri, Malcolm and Patricia, Kathryn and Steve, Chris and Sylvia, Steve and Paula, and all of their kids and grandkids.
Rebecca was often described as a force of nature. Brilliant and fabulous to talk with and learn from, she was fiercely loyal to her friends, fun loving, and kind.
She organized multiple ski trips for Dave and his friends and extended family and took up snowboarding herself at 46. She loved summers at Lake Cowichan welcoming guests from far and wide and hosting family reunions. She started wakeboarding in her 50's impressing her instructor, Stu with the way she "attacked" the wake.
Rebecca grew up in Glencoe Illinois and attended Wellesley College and Cornell University, graduating with Distinction. She began her career as an analyst for the CIA, a position that took advantage of her French and Russian language skills. Perhaps because she was writing about policy issues - even, despite her youth, contributing to President Carter's daily briefing - she developed a lasting interest in US policy. She was on leave from that position to take a masters in economics at the London School of Economics when she met Bill. After living in Washington DC, then London, she and Bill's sense of adventure took them to Sandspit in Haida Gwaii. Here they discovered they were city people and while visiting Bill's cousin Jane in Victoria, fell in love with the city, and moved here in the summer of 1982. Rebecca joined the BC civil service, first at Treasury Board and then following her passion for health economics, the Research Branch of the Ministry of Health. By coincidence, Bill's distant cousin, Malcolm MacLure, is an epidemiologist and she and Malcolm soon became fast friends. She encouraged him to apply for a position at the Ministry of Health and they worked together - sometimes closely, sometimes in parallel - for the next 30 years.
She gave birth to the joy of her life, Dave, in 1991.
In 1996 while working full time, with a toddler and helping to run the daycare at the Ministry of Health, she completed a PhD in Economics with the University of London. In 1999 she won a tenure track position at UVic's School of Public Administration. Despite her late start, she published scores of articles, book chapters and monographs, and was either investigator or co-investigator on over one million dollars worth of grants. She joined the Executive of the UVic Faculty Association, and the UVic Senate and after retiring, became president of the UVic Retirees Association.
She was a beloved wife, doting mother, brilliant researcher, and irreplaceable presence in the lives of all who knew her. She will be missed, and never forgotten.

Summers at Lake Cowichan are a cherished memory for the whole family, and it is there that Rebecca's ashes will be scattered.
Celebration of Rebecca's life: April 27, 2024 2:30-4:30. Contact family or one of her networks for location.