STEWART, Ross

Mar. 16, 1924 - May 30, 2020

Born in Vancouver in 1924, the son of David Methven (Colin) Stewart and Jessie Grant (Marjorie) Stewart. He was predeceased by his brother Grant and his sister Marge and by his teenage sweetheart and beloved wife of 69 years Greta. He is survived by two sons, Dr. Cameron Stewart and Dr. Ian Stewart of Waterloo, Ontario, and Wolfville, Nova Scotia, respectively, their wives, Ellen and Audrey, and their children, Elisa and Andrew, and Duncan, Gavin, Fraser, and Robyn as well as great-grandchildren Enid, Maxwell, Reid and Hannah.

For most of his career he was a member of the Department of Chemistry of the University of British Columbia; he retired in 1989 but continued for many years thereafter as honorary professor. Earlier, from 1949 to 1955, he was on staff of Canadian Services College, Royal Roads, Victoria, after which he returned to U.B.C., where he had received the Lefevre Gold Medal in 1946 upon graduating in honours chemistry. His research career in physical-organic chemistry was recognized in 1971 by election to fellowship in the Royal Society of Canada, in 1983 by the award of a Killam senior fellowship, and in 1987 by his receiving the Syntex Award of the Chemical Institute of Canada. He authored or co-authored many scientific publications, including four books, three of which were subsequently translated into a number of other languages. His other interests included golf (he was a long-time member of Point Grey Golf Club), gardening, dogs (Pekingese and Cavaliers), and thoroughbred racing. Highlights of the latter activity included serving two terms as president of the B.C. Thoroughbred Breeders' Society and having a number of successful runners, mostly of his own breeding, in both Vancouver and Toronto, including Rumpole, who was voted British Columbia's Horse of the Year in 1984.