Obit: WAGSTAFF, Dr. John Russell, CD, BSc, BEd, Dipl_ /PGEd, LLD, F.C

WAGSTAFF, Dr. John Russell, CD, BSc, BEd, Dipl/PGEd, LLD, F.C.C.T., F.C.I.C, CChem, F.R.S.C (UK) - The family of Dr. John "Jack" R. Wagstaff regretfully announces his departure from this life, on July 24, 2007, at his cottage in Parrsboro. During his four weeks of illness he was surrounded by his adoring family: wife, Sally-Anne; daughter, Wendy with husband Dr. Frank Lo; son, Major J.D. Wagstaff with wife Kathy. All of his grandchildren joined "Bumpy" in laughter and shared many memories and stories - Katie, Jennifer and Jamie Lo and Keltie and John Wagstaff; his very special sister-in-law, Beverly Baxter; and niece, Nancea Greenham and her daughter Paige, as well as numerous other relatives and special friends. Dr. Wagstaff was the fourth child of Master Shipbuilder George E. Wagstaff and Adeline J. (Hatfield) Wagstaff. He was predeceased by sisters, Barbara Hall, Kathleen MacCallum, and brother, Bill Wagstaff. Born in Melrose, Mass., U.S.A., Jack spent all of his formative years on the Bay of Fundy shore at Port Greville, where his dad built wooden vessels. Mount Allison was Dr. Wagstaff's Alma Mater. >From there he moved into the world of education. For 32 years he taught at Saint John High School. He had been a lecturer at UNB Saint John campus since its inception in 1964 having his last classes in April 2007. Dr. Wagstaff served as a Lt. Commander with the Royal Canadian Navy reserves spending many summers in Naval pursuits. In this role he served as aide-de-camp with two Lt. Govenours of New Brunswick: Honourables Wallace Bird and Hedard Robichaud. Amongst his numerous honours and recognitions were a Shell Fellowship; the George Croskery Memorial Award; the Northern Telecom Science Teaching Award; Manufacturing Chemists Association High School Teaching Award (1st Canadian to receive); and fellowships with the Canadian College of Teachers and the Royal Society of Chemistry in the United Kingdom. In 1988 UNBSJ conferred upon him the degree Doctor of Laws in recognition of his many years of exceptional teaching service. A long-time member of Saint David's United Church, Jack in recent years served as chair person for the art exhibit and sale of the church's Men's Club. During the past two decades he had been a devoted volunteer at the Ottawa House Museum, Parrsboro and the Age of Sail Heritage Centre, Port Greville. Here Jack gave all the artifacts from his father's shipbuilding yard. Interested in preserving the history of the Fundy Shore, he compiled a genealogical record of some 53,000 names of the people of the area. A funeral service will be held in Port Greville United Church at 2 p.m. Friday, July 27, followed by a celebration at the FPW fire hall nearby. As well, a memorial service will be held in Saint David's United Church in Rothesay, N.B., at a later date in September to be announced. On-line condolences may be sent to: jd.wagstaff@.... Donations to the "Age of Sail Heritage Centre", Box 14, Port Greville, NS B0M 1T0, 902-348-2030 or 348-2060.

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Thursday 26-July-2007 www.thechronicleherald.ca Halifax NS


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