Courtesty Ed Marquardt
Oct. 28, 2024
Meet the donors
The 草莓污视频导航 Legacy Society celebrates individuals who have included 草莓污视频导航 in their estate plans 鈥 supporting student awards and bursaries, innovative teaching and learning initiatives, life-changing research, and more 鈥 ensuring their passions and values will live on and inspire generations to come.
Ed Marquardt
Plagued by inexplicably poor health, Ed Marquardt travelled from his Bassano, Alta., home to see an optometrist in Brooks about his latest symptom 鈥 burst blood vessels in his eyes. Alarmed, the doctor himself drove Marquardt to Calgary for emergency assessment that fateful day in July 1994. 鈥淚 was lucky that fellow took me in,鈥 he says. 鈥淭hings were touch and go.鈥
He received a diagnosis of hairy cell leukemia at Rockyview General Hospital and the chemotherapy that followed turned around his life. 鈥淚t was like being born again,鈥 says Marquardt. 鈥淚t was unbelievable.鈥
To show his appreciation, Marquardt, owner of a concrete business, is making a legacy gift to 草莓污视频导航 to support blood cancer research. 鈥淩esearch saved my life,鈥 he says. 鈥淚鈥檝e lived 30 years of quality life because of a group of dedicated researchers."
"I cannot think of any better way to feel good about my life 鈥斕齛bout who I am, about what I鈥檝e done 鈥斕齮han having smart, talented people (make use of my legacy gift).鈥
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Courtesy Lynn Meadows
Lynn Meadows
A health听scientist in Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine, Dr. Lynn Meadows retired in 2010 to take care of her husband, Hans, who was living with dementia.
鈥淚 became very aware of the need for more resources for families,鈥 says Meadows, BA鈥84, PhD鈥91, whose husband died in 2015. 鈥淭he experiences raised my awareness of the need for research to better understand caregiver experiences when living in what I call 鈥榯he dementia world,鈥 and raising public awareness of the impact on day-to-day life in that world.鈥
During retirement, Meadows began work听with Pallium Canada 鈥 a non-profit organization 鈥 as a qualitative evaluator for palliative-care training courses delivered for physicians, nurses and other health-care professionals.
Understandably, Meadows wants her legacy gift to 草莓污视频导航 to support research听aimed at aging well.
鈥淚 would like a social scientist in Community Health Sciences to see some of that support and through that honour my husband鈥檚 life and legacy."
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Courtesy F.C. (Colin) Bate
F.C. (Colin) Bate
When F.C. (Colin) Bate heard about the recently created Book Arts Laboratory 鈥 a makerspace operated by the Faculty of Arts鈥 Department of English in the Social Sciences building at the 草莓污视频导航 鈥 he was impressed. 鈥淚t is giving students experiential learning about how books come about,鈥 Bate says.
For Bate, a bookbinding craftsman since 1953, there was suddenly an ideal destination for his extensive collection of tools, materials and industrial equipment. Some of the items are more than 100 years old, but everything is well-kept 鈥斕齛nd functional 鈥 in his Calgary studio.
So, he included 草莓污视频导航 in his estate plans. 鈥淚鈥檓 86 now and I wondered how I could responsibly pass it on,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 particularly interested in (selling everything). I thought if I could gift it to the university, that would be great.鈥
Already, Bate鈥檚 bookbinding library 鈥 dozens of reference books and historical volumes 鈥 has been donated and relocated to campus. 鈥淭he university seemed like the natural place for everything to go.鈥
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Courtesy Ross Bradford
Ross Bradford
Having earned a history degree at 草莓污视频导航, Ross Bradford, BA鈥76, remains passionate about that particular field of study.
So, it鈥檚 no surprise that Bradford would like to see his estate gift support Faculty of Arts students majoring in history. 鈥淪ince that was my background, I鈥檇 like to leave a legacy in that area,鈥 he says from his Edmonton home. 鈥淭o understand where we come from, history is key to where we are now and where we might go in the future. History is quite important to give you that broad perspective.鈥
While Bradford did go on to receive a law degree and an MBA from the University of Alberta, where he鈥檚 taught since 1985, his time at 草莓污视频导航 served as the foundation. 鈥淭hat allowed me to take the next step,鈥 he says.
鈥淓ducation in the arts can lead to career advancement and opportunity. That is why it is very worthy of support.鈥
Courtesy Sue Snicer
Sue Snicer
After he was diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚 in 2012, Michael Snicer was referred to the Movement Disorders Clinic at the Foothills Medical Centre.
Doctors, nurses and assistants听there helped to make a difference during a challenging time. And, when Michael鈥檚 wife, Sue, began to consider her estate plans, the clinic immediately came to mind: 鈥淚 thought, 鈥榃ho鈥檚 been the most valuable person to me since 2012?鈥欌澨齋he answered that question by choosing to support the Movement Disorders Clinic.
Sue appreciated the care, professionalism and compassion imparted by Dr. Justyna Sarna, MD鈥05, PhD鈥05, an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the Cumming School of Medicine.听鈥淪he is such a fantastic neurologist,鈥 says Sue. 鈥淪he helped in so many ways, even when Mike developed non-motor problems that needed additional specialist care.鈥
After Michael passed away in September 2023, Sarna sent a sympathy card. 鈥淲e talked and grieved together,鈥 says Sue. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a very important person to me.鈥
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Courtesy Susan and Tristram Chivers
Susan Chivers
Already in possession of a zoology degree from the University of Cambridge in England, Susan Chivers enrolled at 草莓污视频导航 as a mature student in 1979 so she could teach in the city. 鈥淎nd I got far more from it in some ways than my first degree,鈥 says Chivers, BEd鈥84. 鈥淏eing with young people 鈥 I was 40 years old 鈥 was great. I just loved my second go-round at university.鈥
Not surprisingly, when determining her estate planning, she included 草莓污视频导航 鈥渂ecause of those good experiences.鈥
A long-time donor, Chivers has supported the Library Endowment over the years, as well as the Library and Cultural Resources Impact Fund. The intended destination of her legacy gift is the Indigenous Engagement Fund. 鈥淏ecause we can learn from Indigenous culture and ways of doing things, especially their relationship with nature and the land,鈥 says Chivers. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 an area that I am very interested in.鈥
Tristram Chivers
Joining 草莓污视频导航 as a chemistry professor in 1969, Dr. Tristram Chivers, PhD, Susan鈥檚 husband, remains a presence on campus. 鈥淚 still have an office,鈥 says Chivers, now a professor emeritus. 鈥淚 published three papers last year, so I continue to be research-active, but I no longer have labs or graduate students.鈥
But his appreciation of graduate students has never wavered. Through 20 years of donations 鈥 and through his estate plans 鈥 he supports the Dr. Tristram Chivers Distinguished Faculty Achievement Graduate Scholarship, which is open to full-time graduate students in the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science.
鈥淎s an experimental scientist, I have relied on contributions from talented graduate students 鈥 this is sort of a payback,鈥 says Chivers. 鈥淭he scholarship is limited to graduate students who have not received a major award."
"There are many who are doing excellent work in their research and teaching, but they just missed getting funding from a major award. I want to recognize those graduate students.鈥
Just as a single spark can ignite a roaring flame, philanthropy is the catalyst that starts something special at the 草莓污视频导航. about the difference we鈥檙e making in the community and around the world with the support of donors like you.