Former top school official dies at 73
Ron Rubadeau remembered for work at SD23, dedication to sailing, his humour
Ron Rubadeau, former superintendent for the Central Okanagan School District, died on Aug. 3. He was 73.
To say that he had “a life well-lived” seems inadequate. Those who knew him well described him as “larger than life” and “he crammed everything possible into his life.” He moved to the Okanagan in the late 1970s and spent 36 years in public education, 11 years as school district superintendent, retiring in 2006. He was so well liked that the Central Okanagan Teachers Association took the unusual step of holding a retirement party.
Among his numerous accomplishments, he was presented the Fred Macklin Man of the Year award in 2009 by the City of Kelowna.
He was president and chairman of the successful BC Summer Games in 2008. The Games society said: “His passion for arts and sport runs very deep in Kelowna. Ron has played a musical instrument for more than three decades of Theatre Kelowna productions, and is an avid sailor and senior Canadian race official. He is a past Canadian national sailing champion and has conducted the racing programs for 36 National Sailing Championships and three World Sailing Championships. Ron has considerable leadership qualities and is an expert at delegating responsibility.” He helped establish the Central Okanagan Small Boat Association in 1982, was named Canada’s top sailing race officer in 1998 and was named the B.C. Sailing Association’s Volunteer of the Year in 2005.
“I’m joining some pretty wonderful people that have made this community a much better place so I’m happy with that,” said Rubadeau in 2016 when inducted into the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame in the Builder category.
“It’s good for the community to recognize not just some really good athletes, but also some people that have worked very hard to make sure that their dreams could come true too.”
From Pat Kennedy, manager of the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame: “Ron was a special person who gave all of himself to his community and his family. He had a passion for sports, and encouraged the growth and participation in sports throughout the region. We will sorely miss his leadership, passion, commitment and that one-of-a-kind sense of humour.”
“I had the good fortune of working with Ron over several decades,” said Hugh Gloster, also a former superintendent of schools for SD23. “He was a brilliant man, a doctorate. He came with just a vast array of both practical experience and education which he brought to bear in the various roles he had in our school district. When I initially worked with him, he was in student support services so he was supporting some of the most vulnerable children in our system,” said Gloster.
“He was such a tremendous advocate for students, parents, staff. I was truly inspired by the man. I consider it my good fortune to have been able to call him a colleague, a friend, a mentor, and I think someone who did nothing but good for the Central Okanagan public schools and for the children who were in his care. They were always his No. 1 concern. He was just a great guy. He had a sense of humour; he could see the lighter side of situations and could always keep people balanced with a good perspective.”