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Roger Knowles Obituary
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41 Entries
Gurit Lotan
December 16, 2009
Dear Ruth,
I have just learned that Roger is no longer with us. I'm so sorry I did not know in time to attend the memorial service.
My heart saddened so, when I heard.
Spending a whole week in close quarters, as we did some years ago, can tell one a lot about a person. And, I learned that he was a gentle person, full of spunk and humble.
I know you had many wonderful years with him.
I am truly very sorry. Annette and I have talked about you too from time to time, and we would like to see you soon.
What a loss.
With great fondness,
Gurit
Anne Adkins
December 14, 2009
Dear Ruth and Family:
My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your many wonderful memories (with and without that Volkwagen bus!) bring you much comfort.
I spent five great years in Roger's lab with the likes of Ed Topp, Yiu Kwok Chan, Russ Hynes, and Karl Tibelius and eventually graduated in 1985 as RKs first female Ph.D. student. Throughout those years, RK was my teacher, my mentor, my trusted friend; he made the Macdonald College experience one that I will never forget. Although it has been many years since I left Ste. Anne de Bellevue for the University of Winnipeg, I have carried his teachings and advise into my own class room and research lab. Bye, Roger! Although you will be missed, you will never be forgotten. I sure hope that you are enjoying you little noon music sessions up in heaven.
Gerrit Voordouw
December 11, 2009
It has been great knowing Roger. He was a gentleman scientist who trained young people extensively in the intricacies of methane cycling. He was a great promoter of Microbiology in Canada and he will be missed from CSM meetings.
Ken Jarrell
December 8, 2009
It is a sad day for all microbiologists to hear of Roger's passing. I was lucky enough to have been a co-author with Dennis Sprott and Roger and it is a special publication to be linked with such a great of Canadian science.
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Ed Topp
December 8, 2009
Dear Ruth and Family,
I spent 5 delightful years in Roger's lab, first as an undergraduate, than as an M.Sc. student. What an interesting and erudite person he was, what an honest and insightful researcher, what a wise and kind mentor, what a great but humble man. Without a doubt he was the most influential person in my professional life, as he clearly was for so many others. He was one of a number of professors who built the microbiology department at Macdonald College, and made it a truly wonderful place to learn microbiology and the skills required for research when I started out 30 years ago. He inspired a generation of young scientists, his impact nationally and beyond will last long past his passing. Ruth, over the years you gave so many members of Roger’s group a warm welcome in your lovely home. Those occasions were filled with laughter, good cheer and many wonderful meals. I’m extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to be a small part of the extended Knowles family, and you should know that we are all with you in these sad times. Take care, Ed
Robert Murray
December 4, 2009
I enjoyed the company of Roger and Ruth at many meetings both national and international. I haave great respect for his researchhes on bacteria in nature and on the processes of nitriification. He was good company and had a good turn of humoourous comment in situations both scientific and social. They were kind and generous hosts on home ground. We could all admire his enjoyment of music and its performance. He was an important part of my scientiific life and that of many other students and colleagues.
Russell Hynes
December 4, 2009
Dear Ruth, Cindy, Michael and families:
We were very sad to hear of the passing of Roger. As our mentor we could not have been more fortunate and as a friend we will miss him. Roger’s approach to challenging us as students while giving us encouragement and freedom to pursue scientific curiosity will remain as one of the highlights of my scientific career. I have fond memories of Roger’s sense of humor and side trips to explore the countryside while attending conferences. Please accept our deepest sympathy for your loss.
Russ and Sandra Hynes
Lloyd White
December 3, 2009
Dear Ruth and Family:
My most sincere condolences on Roger's passing. It is great fondness that I recall all the wonderful interactions, both academic and socially, that I enjoyed with him as a member of the Macdonald family during the years of my Ph.D. studies at Mac (Grad 1970). My most memorable times were the evening discussions in the coffee room on the top floor of the Main building and of the Christmas parties at the Lodge at the Arboretum. His voie de vivre and singing voice was to be remembered for a lifetime. But, by far the greatest contribution to me, personally, was the lesson that science was only a part of life and that there were other aspects that were, by far, more important. His passing is a great loss to microbiology but more so to the students that he inspired by his enthusiasm and wonderful (frequently understated) humour. May God be with you at this time of trial.
Lloyd A. White
Dieter Kluepfel
December 3, 2009
It is with great sadness that I learned the death of Roger. During my years at the Institut Armand-Frappier of the Université du Québec, I had the pleasure to meet him periodically by exchanging lectures at our two institutions as well as at the Annual Meetings of the CSM.
I shall miss him very much. With my sincerest condolences to the family and friends,
Dieter Kluepfel
Louise Nelson and Jim Gilchrist
December 3, 2009
Dear Ruth, Michael and Cindy
Roger was a very special person, much loved and respected by all of us who had the good fortune to know and work with him. There are so many memories: of good times in the old lab under the eaves at MacDonald, of the big move to the new lab in the new building, of the wonderful gatherings in your home, of the Mac reunions at the CSM and ASM meetings through the 70's and 80's, of hikes in the Rockies and working together on the CSM Executive. He was a wonderful scientist and a true gentleman. We will miss him very much and send our love and sympathy at this sad time.
Louise and Jim
Robert (Bob) MacLeod
December 3, 2009
Roger Knowles was an outstanding microbiologist, a very respected colleague and a close friend. I will miss him very much. My condolences to Ruth and the rest of his family.
Jared Fein
December 2, 2009
It is with great sadness that I have just learned of the passing of Dr. Knowles. I remember him as an inspiring professor who was always enthusiastic in his interests in microbiology, who set an example for all of his students by his devotion and work ethic, and by the high quality of his research. Our thoughts and sympathies are with you Ruth and with your family.
Roger Lalande
December 2, 2009
Dear Mrs Knowles, Michael and Cindy,
Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of Dr Knowles. I was at Mac as a PhD student, supervised by Dr. Knowles, starting September 1975. I have many great memories on the life of every day in his laboratory. He always came for the coffee brake with us even when chairman of the department. Pour lui c'était un moment sacré, très important.
God bless him and your family.
Charles Dozois
December 2, 2009
Dear Mrs. Knowles and family.
My deepests sympathies. I was inspired by Dr. Knowles as an undergraduate student in microbiology at Macdonald college in the late 1980's. He was a great teacher and warm and charming person. He is one of the reason's I continued my studies in microbiology. He will be dearly remembered and sadly missed.
young sup chung
December 2, 2009
My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
Josh Neufeld
December 2, 2009
Put simply, Roger Knowles inspired me to pursue a career in microbiology. I will continue to profile him in my lectures as one of the pioneers of environmental microbiology and consider it a privilege to have been mentored by him, enjoyed hot toddy with him and Ruth in the great ice storm of 98, and to have not fully tipped his sailboat that one day on Lake St. Louis. Ruth and family, I am so sorry for your loss.
André Lachance
December 2, 2009
I have the fondest memory of Roger at Macdonald College in the early seventies. He was one of the friendliest professors whose door was always open to graduate students who needed his expertise, advice, or access to the broad array of nitrogen measuring instruments that populated his lab.
My sincere condolences to the Knowles Family and close friends.
Richard Villemur
December 2, 2009
Mes plus profondes condoléances. Dr Knowles était un des scientifiques des plus réputés et estimés dans la communauté.
Bob McLean
December 2, 2009
December 2, 2009
Dear Mrs. Knowles and family,
Please accept our deepest sympathy.
Roger was one of the most influential people that I had the privilege of meeting during my formative years from 1982-86 as a microbiology graduate student. Although I did my graduate work at the University of Calgary, Roger befriended me as a very inexperienced graduate student, and basically provided a role model to becoming a Gentleman and a Scholar. Roger's leadership and encouragement were key to promoting microbiology and science in Canada and around the world. I shall miss him, but at the same time am the richer for having known him.
Sincerely,
RJC (Bob) McLean
Dept Biology
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 78666
Alan DiSpirito
December 2, 2009
Dear Mrs. Knowles and Family:
I am very sorry to learn of Roger's passing. Although I never worked with Dr.Knowles he had a major impact on my carrier and views of microbiology. I became familiar with his work as an undergraduate biochemistry and his papers sparked an interest in microbiology that I still hold today. He will missed.
Charles Greer
December 2, 2009
Dear Mrs. Knowles and family:
I wish to offer my sincerest condolences to you and your family at this difficult time. Dr. Knowles was always a pleasure to be around and I know the microbiology community will deeply miss his presence.
André Morin
December 2, 2009
Dear Mrs Knowles and Family,
Please accept my sincerest sympathies.
The last time we have met was in Italy (Rome Arpt) when You and Roger were coming back from a "learn a new language" holiday. I will always remember Dr. Knowles' desire to continuously learn.
Ron Neufeld
December 2, 2009
I was deeply saddened to hear that Roger Knowles was no longer with us. I worked in his lab as an undergrad thesis student in 1972/73 and my first publication was co-authored with Roger. I remember how impressed I was that my thesis supervisor in lab coat, would be frequently working along side of me at the bench in the lab. He also regularly joined the lab group for daily coffee/tea breaks. He was a researcher at heart.
I will always remember how Roger ("Dr. Knowles" in those days) loved to laugh, how he cared about students, how he had a contagious love for research, and how he was such a down to earth person - in a way that a young student could easily relate. I recall his love for music - is my memory failing, or did he have the remarkable ability to play a musical instrument with his voice?
Roger was one of the people who have had a lasting impact on my life. I will never forget him.
Ron Neufeld
Bruce Ramsay
December 2, 2009
A great man who only did good. A mentor to many. If only I could have learned more from him.
Edward Medzon
December 2, 2009
I first met Roger as a graduate student at McGill about 1960 and later shared many moments with him as a scientific colleague and as a member of the CSM executive. There were some memorable sing songs and good times at many meetings.
I am saddened to hear of his passing, but we are all proud of his productive and exemplary life and contributions to Canadian science.
Ted Medzon
Prof. Emeritus,
U.W.O.
Jack Trevors
December 2, 2009
I had the pleasure and honor to serve with Roger through CSM activities. The international microbiology community will always remember Roger as an international treasure and scholar for his outstanding contributions to science, education and humanity. My deepest sympathy.
Peter Dunfield
December 2, 2009
Dear Ruth and family:
Roger was a great help to so many of us. His integrity and thoughtful analyses, and the widespread respect he commanded among his peers, were always evident. These qualities certainly helped me to find a proper direction. He will be missed.
Our heartfelt condolences,
-Peter
Dennis Sprott
December 2, 2009
Dear Mrs Knowles and Family,
It was with sadness that Carolyn and I heard of the passing of Roger - or Dr Knowles as we came to know him. We arrived at Macdonald in 1970. Although Dr MacLeod was my supervisor, I appreciate the teaching and help that I received from Dr Knowles, a very respected icon in his field of research.
Our deepest condolences on your loss.
Hani Antoun
December 2, 2009
Dear Mrs knowles and Family
Our deepest condolences.
Professor knowles was a great professor, mentor and scientist who made significant contributions to soil microbiology. He was a very kind man who was appreciated by all people he met.
I spent my sabbatical year as a graduate student in Prof. knowles laboratory working with Tadashi Yoshinary in 1974-75.
Département des Sols et de Génie agroalimentaire, Université Laval
Pierre GERMON
December 1, 2009
Dear Ruth, Michael and cindy,
It was with great sadness that I learnt the passing of Roger.
I remember our stay in St Anne when I was as a teenager, going out for Halloween in your neighborhoud, numerous ski "promenade", a sailing trip on the St Laurent river when I was in Canada for a summer training in Ed's lab.
Je vous adresse toute mon affection.
Amicalement,
Pierre
December 1, 2009
Dear Mrs. Knowles, Mike, Brendan, Adrianna, Heather and Andrew,
Please know that I am thinking of you and the sadness you must feel. May God bless all of you during this difficult time.
My sincerest sympathies,
Arlene Snyder Kenrick
November 30, 2009
very beautiful tribute. Thinking of you, Cindy. Love, Tracy & Jay
Gail Snyder
November 30, 2009
Dear Mrs Knowles and Mike,
Please accept my deepest condolences to you and all of your family on the passing of your husband/father.
May your wonderful memories comfort you at this time. From what I have heard, he was a remarkable man.
May God bless him and keep him close.
Gail Snyder
Fred + Helen Archibald
Fred Archibald
November 30, 2009
Dear Ruth and children,
From my first appearance at Mac as a beginning PhD student in 1975 (34+ years ago!), Roger was one of my favorite people in the Department. His gentle good humor, scientific excellence, and kindness to, and interest in students marked him as the best sort of professor. I liked and respected him enormously. He will be missed by a lot of people, including those he trained so very well to be excellent microbiologists.
With great regret and good memories,
Fred Archibald
Richard Sparling
November 30, 2009
This is a sad time for the generation of microbiologists he mentored and shaped at Macdonald College. I keep fond memories of his lectures in Microbial Ecology I took as an undergraduate in 1981, and more importantly, I remember his calm smile and good humour.
My sincerest condolences to all the members of his family.
Michael Kenrick
November 30, 2009
Michael,
Our deepest condolences to you on the passing of your Dad. Our thoughts an prayers are with you during this difficult time.......
Kathy & Michael
Robert Walker
November 30, 2009
Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with you, Ruth, Cindy and Michael at this most difficult time. Some of our best memories of Roger are sailing with him on Lake St Louis (windblown and smiling) and hiking in Waterton National Park up steep slopes with Roger setting the pace. They were good times and fond memories.
With Affection
Rob and Emily
Malcolm McDonald
November 30, 2009
I have many fond memories of Dr. Knowles both as a resident of Brittain Hall when he lived there and as a Microbiology student BSc.(Agr) 67 and PHD 77.
Malcolm McDonald
Yiu-Kwok Chan
November 30, 2009
No words can fully describe Roger's kindness, integrity and superb contributions to his family, friends and society as a scientist and humanist. He had been my greatest mentor and fellow researcher since I first benefited from his useful comments as my thesis examiner, before joining his laboratory 32 years ago. Ruth and Roger generously shared their home with visitors from near and far, helping to balance their work and play in diverse cultural ways. Thank you. We miss you Roger. Our thoughts are with you, Ruth, and your loved ones.
Affectionately, Yiu-Kwok and Helen
Leigh Woolmer-Gingras
November 30, 2009
My deepest sympathy on the loss of your husband.
David Patriquin
November 30, 2009
I worked with Roger as a postdoc in the early 1970s. What a wonderful, positive, gentle person, complemented so well by Ruth. Their home in Baie D’Urfe, a few minutes walk from the married students’ apartments at Robertson Terrace, was always open to us and our two small children. We thank you Ruth for your loving care of him always and especially in his final years; our thoughts and love are with you and your children and grandchildren - David & Nina, Maria & Graham.
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