Obituary of James-G. Dick

OBITUARY JAMES G. DICK (Professor Emeritus, Concordia U., Montreal) Born in Perth, Scotland in 1920, Professor Dick died in Ottawa at St. Vincent Hospital on October 25, at eighty-five years of age. He is survived by his loving wife Helen Maguire Whelehan, and will be sadly missed by his son Brian, his daughter-in-law Marion (Hubble) and grandchildren Ian and Jennifer, all of Toronto. Also mourning his loss are his step-daughter Estelle and her husband Alan Fried of Florida. An avid sailor for many years, he was a member of Beaconsfield Yacht Club of Montreal and served as Commodore in 1973. He attended Sir George Williams College (now Concordia University) and graduated in 1947 with a B. Sc. Degree and won the Mappin Medal for outstanding merit in the sciences. He joined Canadian Bronze Company Limited in 1936 as a chemist and was later appointed Chief Chemist and Metallurgist and eventually Director of Research and Development. At the time of his retirement in 1963, he was Manager of Manufacturing Operations for the 6 foundry complex. From 1947 on, Prof. Dick taught engineering and chemistry subjects at Concordia University on a part-time basis. In 1963 he joined the University as Assistant Professor of Chemistry, and of Materials Science in the Engineering Department. He was appointed Professor of Chemistry and Vice-Chairman in the Department of Chemistry in 1972, and served as Chairman in 1975. He was also Director of the Science Industrial Research Unit (SIRU Chemistry), and Professor emeritus when he retired in 1981. He had founded SIRU in 1973. Always interested in research work in the industrial world, the Professor founded and was President of Technitrol Ltd., from 1963 to 1968, and President of Methodologies Consultations Ltd., from 1981 until he closed the operation in 1996. His consulting work covered wide fields in both chemistry and engineering in Canada, the U.S.A. and Europe. He was the author of four textbooks and a major contributor to an audited fifth text. The subjects were associated with analytical chemistry and instrumental analytical techniques. He was also the author of some 100 papers on the subjects of analytical, instrumental techniques in analysis, physical metallurgy and foundry practices. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association or the Ottawa Heart Institute would be appreciated. The family will receive friends and colleagues at a reception at Landmark Court Retirement Residence, 140 Darlington Private, Ottawa on Sunday, November 6 at 2 p.m. (613-521-9243). Published in the Montreal Gazette on 10/28/2005 Published in the Ottawa Citizen from 10/28/2005 - 10/29/2005