Rowland MCMASTER

My condolences to Juliet and the whole family on the loss of Rowland. Rowland`s encouragement helped me a lot as an undergraduate English student, and his joy in Chaucer`s work made me love it, too.

Dear Juliet and Family -- My condolences and sympathy. Rowland was the best PhD supervisor anyone could have had: so well-informed, astute, supportive and thoughtful. I have always looked back on those days at the University of Alberta with a warm glow and been grateful to the English Department, where I was so happy, and to Rowland in particular. I'm sitting here now remembering walking over to the Faculty Club for lunch with Juliet and Rowland after the viva in 1974. A great day, spent in great company.

Dear Juliet and Family,

As you know, Rowland taught me first year English at the U of A and also supervised my Dickens' MA. From the special weekly tutorials that he set up with 5 or 6 of his best students, he helped to shape my critical thinking. He was soft-spoken but his mind was like a "steel-trap" and we were taught to fiercely champion our points of view and to make our case succinctly! He nurtured this "fierce" intellectuality while also emphasizing civility in what we did. I had the pleasure of seeing you in your English sabbatical when Rawdon was born and periodically over the years. He will be missed by all of those he influenced through his teaching at the U of A. All the best.

Dearest Rawdon and all the McMaster family - you are in my thoughts and in my heart at this time of deep loss. Rowland was a great man and I am privileged to have been able to spend some wonderful moments with him and your family. If there is anything you need, whether it be a soft shoulder, a sounding board or a listening ear, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thinking of you, Juliet, in this
time of loss. Sincerest condolences...

What a loss! Such a kind, generous and gifted man... Who can forget his wonderful talk on the Battle of Trafalgar - in costume, complete with sword? I remember what a quick and eager learner he was when I introduced him to a computer application. I wish I'd known him better, but I treasure his memory. I wish I had the words to comfort and console those who knew him the best and will miss him the worst. Dear Juliet, what joy those 45 years together must have been! You two were made for each other.

My warmest condolences to all of you, Juliet. Rowland McMaster was a brilliant reader, a galvanizing teacher, and a model literary critic. He inspired the best in every student lucky enough to encounter him.

I am so sorry for your loss Juliet and family. He was a great teacher and a wonderful man.

My deepest condolences on the loss of your beloved husband, father and grandfather. My thoughts are with you.

The loss of a great teacher and educator is felt far beyond the walls of one university. My condolences to Rowland's family.
Brian Evans

My deepest condolences. "What wound did ever heal but by degrees." ~ from "Othello"

I had long heard his praises as a professor sung by my older sister. I loved my first year university English text, a Rowland McMaster edition of Dickens' Great Expectations. And I deeply value my life time friendship with Prof McMaster's dear daughter, Loren. My love and thoughts are with your family.

Professor McMaster gave an exceptional speech, "Why Read?", at the 1977 U of A Conference on Literacy which I will never forget. His remarkable paper foundationed my high school English teaching for the next 25 years after that. He was so impressive, so wonderfully bright, and so perfectly concise in his reflections about the value of literature and the true meaning of literacy. What a powerful, exciting writer, thinker and speaker! He will be greatly missed by many students and colleagues. My condolences and best to his family.

A great teacher and inspiration, and a lovely man. So sorry for your loss.