William SAMPSON

SAMPSON, William Rae November 1932 - April 2003 Professor Bill Sampson was born in Loveland, Colorado, and grew up and graduated from high school in Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. He obtained a B.A. from St Olaf College in Minnesota and an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin. He served for a term in the U.S. Navy during the Suez Crisis, then spent several years as an historian with the United States National Parks Service in the states of Virginia and Colorado. He came to Simon Fraser University, Burnaby B.C., in 1967, and to the University of Alberta in 1968 where he taught American history. He was particularly interested in the comparative history of the frontiers of the American and Canadian West, with emphasis on the Canadian Fur Trade. He later developed a keen interest in the history of South Africa. He received his Canadian citizenship in 1972, and was always proud of his adopted homeland. He wrote numerous articles for the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, and edited John McLaughlin's Business Correspondence, 1847-'48. He served on several Department and Faculty committees at the University, and was president of the Historical Society of Alberta from 1973 to '76. After retiring from the History department he was a very active volunteer with the University of Alberta Hospitals and was a member of the Board of the Eleanor G. Luxton Historical Foundation. Cremation. A celebration of Bill's life will be held at 2:00 p.m, June 22, 2003 at The (University) "Second Cup", 8623-112 St., Edmonton, when his friends and acquaintances will gather to indulge in one of his favourite pleasures-drinking good coffee and chatting. If desired, donations in Bill's memory can be made to: The Alberta SPCA, 10806 - 124th Street, Edmonton AB T5M 0H3.