Douglas Richard EWEN

EWEN, Douglas Richard Douglas Richard Ewen (December 12, 1925 - April 27, 2018) was one of the most beloved and quietly influential faculty members at York University in its early years. If Dick had been a dog, he would have been a golden retriever. Friendliness incarnate. That was Dick. Everyone was glad to see him; and he returned their affection by making them feel good about having seen him. (Of course, as Dick would remind us, he disliked dogs; or so he said.) His life was long and full of friendships new and old. He taught in The Sudan, in Australia (twice), in Trinidad and, for most of his long career, in Canada. Everywhere he went he left behind friendships and fond memories. He was a widely-travelled man and a very widely-read man, well acquainted with the literatures of several countries. His knowledge of, and passion for, music was similarly extensive. He was a learned man who carried his learning lightly, but nonetheless seriously. Indeed he was 'a stickler' about language. He co-wrote two well-received books with David Kent. York University was fortunate to have him as a faculty member during its formative years. Dick served three terms in the 1970s and '80s as Chair of the English Department at York, a record. He was a gifted writer, period; but his memos and his letters of reference were held in especially high esteem. He must surely have been one of the few academics whose memos were actually looked forward to. Not a few ended up being taped to office doorways. Dick was also a lively and encouraging teacher, a much-consulted and much-respected mentor. He genuinely enjoyed learning and teaching, sharing his enjoyment and his knowledge with thousands of students over the years. Dick was a Scot. Insistently so. The Scots, after all, were responsible for civilization and for all things good and true; or so he said when he wasn't mocking himself and his homeland with equal emphasis. Wherever Dick was, laughter was not far away. He was a splendid storyteller, with a strong memory for apt quotations from his vast storehouse of literary knowledge. Shakespeare, Saki and P.G. Wodehouse were particular favourites. He was born on December 12, 1925 in Aberdeen, two weeks after his father had died. Dick grew up quickly learning that wit and intelligence and friendliness could get you a long way in life. He trained at Robert Gordon College in Aberdeen, then at the University of Aberdeen and, after a (hilarious) brief stint in the Royal Navy, at Merton College, Oxford University. In Walden, Henry Thoreau writes, "To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of the arts." Dick Ewen was an artist.