Photos of John

I've posted a few photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/harvey.dueck/JohnDueck

In his own words

Dad wrote a summary of his career for the University of Minnesota alumni newsletter. You can find it at

http://plant.lib.umn.edu/Aurora%202003.pdf

Scholarship Fund

Our family emerged from dad's graduate school days with no debt, thanks in large part to several small scholarships and assitantships that Dad received. John was always very grateful for that support. It would have been very difficult for him to complete his university education without it.

We have established scholarship funds in dad's name to help repay in some way the debt of gratitude for the assitance he received and to recognize dad's contributions to agriculture nationally and internationally.

Donations can be sent to either:

• 
  The Dr. John Dueck Memorial Award in care of the University of Manitoba, Department of Development, 179 Extended Education Complex, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, phone number 474-9195; or:
  


• 
  The Dr. John Dueck Scholarship, CFANS—Department of Plant Pathology, Development Office, 235 Skok Hall, 2003, Upper Bulford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108.
  

Condolences

This is a place to leave comments with messages of sympathy and condolence.

A Poem

Cheryl remarks often that Dad loved poetry. That's a part of him I didn't know well. I think poems became more important to him at some time after I had moved away from home. I found this poem on his computer in a folder marked "Poems". I don't know where he got it from.

-------

To say goodbye's impossible forever,
And yet we must too soon exchange goodbyes.
No magnitude of love when someone dies
Can manage the immensity of never.
Yet even death cannot our friendship sever
Though you may rest somewhere beyond our sighs
And all the talk of afterlife be lies.
Eternity is our brief glimpse of ever.
Even as each breeze must alter time
And each unruly rock reshape the sea,
So love lasts beyond our consciousness.
Each pulse of life's a piece of the sublime,
A breath so full of grace it cannot be,
A wave that ripples endlessly through darkness.

A life of public service

Dad worked his whole career for the Governments of Canada and of Manitoba. He strongly believed that the mission of the government funded agricultural research organizations was to improve the lives of farmers and how we feed ourselves and the world.

I thought that his colleagues, many of whom are also friends, might like to have this separate space to share their memories of Dad's professional life.

If you have photos that you would like to share, please send them to John.Dueck.Memoriam@gmail.com and I will post them.

Harvey Dueck

Memories of John

This is a place for Dad's friends and family to post their memories of him. If you have photos to post, you can email them to John.Dueck.Memoriam@gmail.com where I will review and post them as I have time.

Harvey Dueck

Obituary Notice

This obituary will be published in the Winnipeg Free Press on Sept. 27, 2007
---
It is with great sadness that the family of John Dueck announces his sudden passing on September 23, 2007 after complications from a heart attack.

John was born in Altona, Manitoba on August 11, 1941 to Elisabeth and Gerhard Dueck. He met his much loved wife and life partner Mary Enns in 4-H Club there, and they shared 45 happy years of married life. John received his B.Sc. in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba in 1964, and completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota in 1971. During these years, John and Mary had three children, Harvey, Cheryl and Ken.

John was always eager for new challenges, and the family lived in many cities across Canada, as well as two years in Pakistan, as he pursued his career path. John began his career as a researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) with a focus initially on diseases of tree fruits and horticultural crops and later in oilseeds (canola). He spent more than 20 years as Director of AAFC Research Centres at Regina, SK; Summerland, BC; and Ottawa. Most recently, he was Science Director for AAFC’s national program on Genomics, BioInformatics and other BioInformation. Other highlights include directing a CIDA project in Pakistan and leading the Canadian delegation for the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources. John retired from the civil service in 2003. However, he continued to work to better agriculture and his community through numerous projects and was planning to work in Honduras in 2008.

Family was important to John. He and Mary took much joy in their children and their partners (Harvey and Michelle, Cheryl and Richard, Ken and Natalie). Also important were relationships with his many siblings, nieces and nephews who warmly received his good company, guidance and humour. John loved the outdoors, both for work and recreation. He enjoyed canoeing, skiing, golfing, and walking. John and Mary were in the process of completing their 14th major move together returning home to Winnipeg to spend their retirement years.

Friends and family are invited to visit and contribute their reflections at:
http://john-dueck-memoriam.blogspot.com/

John appreciated the education and support he received from the Universities of Manitoba and Minnesota. In recognition of his contributions to agriculture nationally and internationally, a scholarship fund has been set up at each of these universities. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to either:
The Dr. John Dueck Memorial Award in care of the University of Manitoba, Department of Development, 179 Extended Education Complex, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, phone number 474-9195; or:
The Dr. John Dueck Scholarship, CFANS—Department of Plant Pathology, Development Office, 235 Skok Hall, 2003, Upper Bulford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108.

A viewing will be held on Friday, September 28 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Glen Lawn Funeral Home, 455 Lagimodiere Blvd., Winnipeg, (204)982-7550. The funeral services will be at Bethel Mennonite Church, 465 Stafford St., at 2:00pm on Saturday, September 29.