COFFEY o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2007-06-23 published
REEVE,
Doctor
John, M.Sc, PhD, D.Sc, F.I.E.E.E.
It is with great sadness that the family of John
REEVE is announcing
his passing on June 19, 2007, peacefully in Paris, Ontario after
a year long battle with cancer. John will be greatly missed by
his sons Philip of Iqaluit, Nunavut and Ian of Brantford, Ontario,
his dear friend and companion Patricia
MOORE of Paris, Ontario,
his sisters Pat
COFFEY and her husband Brian of Carlisle, England,
and Betty HORSFIELD and her partner Jack of Colne, England, numerous
nieces and nephews, his former wife Vera and his many Friends
and colleagues around the world. John was born in Nelson, Lancashire,
England on October 11, 1936. He graduated from the University
of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology with a Master
of Science degree in 1958 followed by a Phd in 1966 on the subject
of high voltage direct current converters. John worked in the
electrical industry in England and then became a lecturer at
the University of Manchester. A second Doctor of Science degree
followed, also from the University of Manchester. John and his
family immigrated to Canada in 1967. He became professor of Electrical
and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo and continued
there until his retirement in 1996. John was very involved with
committee work with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic
Engineers as well as with CIGRE (International Council on
Large Electrical Systems) often acting as chair. He worked as
a consultant on electric power systems, was program manager at
the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, California
and worked with Hydro-Quebec's Research Institute. In 1996, he
was awarded the prestigious Institute of Electrical and Electronic
Engineers Uno Lamm HVDC award at the Institute of Electrical
and Electronic Engineers summer power meeting in Denver, Colorado.
At the fall 2006 convocation at the University of Waterloo, John
was honoured as Distinguished Professor Emeritus. A sportsman
and adventurer, John trained and ran the marathon between Buffalo
and Niagara Falls in the 1980's. He climbed Mt. Baker in Washington
under icy conditions in the 1990's as well as the north Cascades
with the American Alpine Institute. He climbed to Machu Pichu
by the alternative, difficult route. In 2004, he took part in
an Arctic Expedition, a trek from Ikaluit along glacier fed rivers.
John raised and showed a variety of pure bred dogs including
two that became Canadian champions - Goldie, a Wheaton Terrier
and Rosie, a Brittany Spaniel. An avid soccer fan and player,
John also coached and acted as referee for youth teams. John's
artistic nature expressed itself from an early age beginning
when he sang as a boy soprano, with church choirs and solo, including
a broadcast over the British Broadcasting Corporation. He was
a pianist, an opera lover and became involved with amateur theatre.
John was a serious antique and rare book collector. A naturalist,
he loved plants and gardens and perhaps one of his greatest joys
was to work at his farm on the Rocky Saugeen River north of Durham,
Ontario restoring and researching the farmhouse, which dates
back to the 1830's, recovering the original laneways, replanting
some of the forests and establishing a vineyard. Cremation has
taken place. A ceremony at his farm will take place later. John
will be remembered at the Faculty Club at the University of Waterloo
Monday, June 25th at 7 p.m. If Friends so desire, donations may
be made to the Princess Margaret Hospital, the Stedman Community
Hospice or a charity of your choice through the Wm Kipp Funeral
Home, Paris, (519) 442-3061 or www.wmkippfuneralhome.com
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