UBC is enriched by, and grateful for, bequests from these generous donors:
Hon. Allan McEachern
Many in the UBC community were saddened when our former Chancellor Allan McEachern died at the age of 82. Allan had a longstanding passion for UBC, particularly in his tenure as Chancellor since 2002. Born in Vancouver in 1926, Allan graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Arts in 1949 and a law degree in 1950. He was called to the bar in 1951, and joined Russell & DuMoulin (now Fasken Martineau DuMoulin), where he practised for 28 years. Allan was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1979. In 1988 he was appointed Chief Justice of the Appeal Court of British Columbia. He had a reputation as a no-nonsense, get-to-the-point judge and great defender of judicial independence.
In a tribute to Allan, UBC Board of Governors Chair Brad Bennett and UBC President Stephen Toope said, “UBC’s board of Governors has been fortunate beyond measure to have as Chancellor one of Canada’s finest legal minds to help in our deliberations. Allan’s experience, wisdom, integrity, and wonderful sense of humour have substantially contributed to the success of the university he loved so deeply.” Allan’s legacy will help create a new building for the Faculty of Law.
Dr. Lyle Morrison Creelman
Lyle Morrison Creelman was a provincial, national and international nursing leader. Born in 1908 in Nova Scotia, she received an undergraduate degree in nursing at UBC and a master’s degree at Columbia University.
Lyle worked in a variety of nursing roles in postwar Europe, including chief nurse in the British zone of occupied Germany. She was later appointed Chief Nursing Officer of the World Health Organization, a position she held for 14 years. Her visionary efforts helped ensure that countries would achieve self-sufficiency in health care, often through the introduction of primary nursing care.
Lyle retired to Bowen Island and West Vancouver, where she died in 2997 in her 98th year.
Lyle’s legacy gifts to UBC have established the Lyle Creelman Scholarship Fund to award scholarships to nursing students, and the Lyle Creelman Endowment Fund to fund research by the School of Nursing.
Vera Elsie Thompson
Born on July 10, 1915 in Regina, Vera lived in Moose Jaw before moving to Vancouver in 1927. She completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1936 and a Bachelor of Education (Elementary) in 1956 at UBC.
Her UBC years were deeply etched in her life particularly her activities with the Music Society which continued long after graduation.
Vera chose to express her gifts through teaching, conducting, and mentoring students. In 1995, her last formal piano student passed through her doors, some 60 years after the first. Through the years of sharing music, humour, love of Canadian politics and hockey, and a passion for teaching, she touched and will continue to touch the lives of countless people.
Upon her passing in December 2006, a bequest in her will endowed the Vera Radcliffe Thompson Memorial Bursary for Education students.
Dr. Thomas Shoyama
Thomas Shoyama was a prominent public servant who was instrumental in designing social services in Canada. He was born in Kamloops BC in 1915, the son of a shop owner. After graduating from UBC in 1939, he moved back to Kamloops and became editor of The New Canadian, a weekly newspaper for Japanese-Canadians.
In 1946 Thomas joined the public service in Saskatchewan, working his way up to the position of economic adviser to Premiers T.C. Douglas and W.S. Lloyd. During this time he helped build the prototype for the Medicare system. From 1968 to 1980, Thomas held many influential positions in the federal public service, including Deputy Minister of Finance, Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, and a post in the Privy Council Office. One of his major responsibilities was introducing a national version of the Medicare system he had helped develop in Saskatchewan.
Thomas passed away in December 2006 at the age of 90. His legacy gift to the UBC student bursary fund will help ensure that students will not be prevented from attending UBC for financial reasons alone.
