Jean Dey

DEY, Dr. Jean Downie 1916 - 2007 Was born on June 13, 1916 at New Lunnon, Alberta, the third daughter and youngest child of the late James Dey and Margaret Forbes Downie. When she was eight years old the family moved to a farm at Ardrossan, near Edmonton, where Jean spent her childhood years. She attended Public School first at Sunnyside and then at the Baker School nearby but received her entire secondary school education at home from her mother who had been a teacher in Scotland. Even as a child she wanted to be a teacher and despite numerous hardships she was able to enter the Edmonton Normal School from where she graduated with a First Class Certificate in 1936. She then taught in country schools (with up to 53 pupils in six grades) for a couple of years and then taught grade 2 in Vermillion for four years. She was then employed by the Edmonton School Board, teaching at Forest Heights and Westminster and then as Assistant Principal at Coronation School for two years. She then taught at the University Demonstration School. Studying seven years, she obtained a B. Ed. Degree from the University of Alberta in 1953. In 1956 she was selected as a Weston Scholar and spent a year at the University of London, subsequently receiving a M.Ed. Degree from the University of Alberta. After teaching at the U of A for 5 years, she attended the University of California at Berkeley where she received her Doctor of Education (Ed. D.) degree in 1969. At this point she made a significant change, joining the University of Victoria, Faculty of Education, the same day that UVIC actually became a university (1963). Her specialties were Language Arts and Early Childhood Education in which areas she excelled. Her many university students remember her with gratitude.With her Scottish background she was an ardent supporter of the St. Andrew's and Caledonian Society in which organization in Victoria she was Secretary for twenty years. Besides her parents she was predeceased by her first husband, Cameron Hay, her second husband, Allan McQuarrie, and her sisters Daisy Latam and Penelope Ward. She leaves to mourn her her brother James Dey of Ardrossan, nephew Arthur O'Brien of Victoria, niece Marian (Roger) Oberg of Evansburg, niece Reta Haley of Athabasca and nephew Jack Ward of Vancouver and their families. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, November 9, 2007 at First Memorial Funeral Service, 4725 Falaise Drive, in Saanich at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Victoria SPCA 3150 Napier Ln. Send condolences to: www.firstmemorialfuneral.com ( saanich link).