Argue Receives Director’s Award of Distinction

Lawrence W. Argue BSA ’58  BASc ’59  M.Sc.(Agr./Eng.)’ 64

Lawrence Argue grew up on a farm in Eastern Ontario. Following Graduation from High School he enrolled in the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) in Guelph. In 1958 he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and then enrolled in Fourth Year Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto. In 1959 he graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science and went to work in Ottawa. Larry returned to Guelph in 1963 to earn a Master of Science in Agriculture and Structural Engineering.

He was a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario, a member of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers and was President of the OAC Alumni Association. Larry established his own, long standing, agricultural engineering consulting firm in Guelph and served as an Assistant Professor and Sessional Lecturer at the School of Engineering, thereby influencing future engineers.

His work in agricultural engineering took him to 14 countries. Larry was highly respected for his work ethic, expert knowledge of structural design, sustainable and ethical animal production with associated needs.

In 2002, Larry joined R.J. Burnside and Associates limited as Vice-President. He was a civic minded volunteer (Rotary Club of Guelph) and a benefactor of the University. In 2014, shortly before his death in 2015, he was named President of his graduating class, (OAC 58). He is survived by his daughters Alison and Joanne and his wife Bette.      

Trevor Evelyn

Greetings from Trevor 

Hi everyone:

This lunch sounds like a great idea but sorry I cannot make it in person this time. However, I do think of all of you often am happy to have this opportunity to say hello and share some recent (and not so recent) news with you. After retiring from DFO in 1997 I spent some time volunteering with CESO – overseas assignments as well as some closer to home. I then became an invited member of the Hatchery Scientific Reform Group , a scientific panel established by the US Congress to look into the effects of hatchery salmonids on wild ones (see www.hatcheryreform.us). I also have a consulting company dealing with fish health issues but do not advertise this as I am kept busy enough with the above and other important things on the home-front as follows.

Sandra and I have just celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary in our now mature garden of 35 years which gives us much pleasure to work in and enjoy.  Other interests are travel, both here and abroad. In the last few years we have found cruise ship travel to be especially enjoyable – quite a change from camping!

Both our daughters live and work in Ontario, so annual visits from them are unfortunately what we have to settle for. However, our grand-daughter is a Schulich science scholar at UBC so we see more of her.

As I write, I have in front of me our year 58 picture and although I am sure appearances will have changed I still think of all of you as we were then.

A special thank you, Don, for the prompt. It is good to keep in touch.

Cheers – and every best wish to you all.

Trevor

Derek French

The "ANNUS MIRABILIS" Class of OAC 1958, now has a budding Author.

In a recent communication , received by Bill "Hum" Stevens, Derek French wrote.

"Hello Everyone:"

"I am happy to report that after much effort and with the assistance of a grandson, for the digital stuff, my book, entitled ,"Spirit" has finally been self-published by Amazon. As you can see below, it is part memoir and part historical comment. All with a light hearted touch" .

If you have ever wondered what makes Derek tick and why his family no longer owns him, you may find "Spirit" a good read.

If you would like to read it for yourself,you may obtain a copy from Amazon. Search under 'books' and enter 'Spirit by Derek French'. My book will not make me wealthy. But, it will make me happy, if you enjoy reading it. A good reader rating and comment on Amazon, would be appreciated.

Happy 2019 everyone!

New Book 2020

Reap the Wild Harvest 

This is a feel-good book. No need for a page marker with Reap The Wild Harvest. You can pick it up at any point and enjoy the memories from the author’s interesting life covering two continents, world travel and the transition from city living to country life. Derek recounts his experiences with, and love of, all manner of creatures in the natural world, all told with a warm heart and humour. This is the ideal bedside book, read to calm the mind and put a smile on your face as your busy day draws to a close. Ready again the next day to be picked up with yet another story there for you to eavesdrop into the author’s storied life.

Peter S.G. Large

Peter G.S. Large

Residence: Amherst Island,ON.
Education: B.S.A., BaSc.,OCA studies plus separate courses and tutelage in painting and drawing.

Peter is 5th from left.

Peter has been a working artist for forty years and is an award-winning member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA), a member of the Ontario Society of Artists (OSA), and a Past President of the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto.   His work is the drawn image, using graphite, ink, colour pencil and watercolour. Two of his drawings are in the Province of Ontario's permanent Archival Collection.

In 2014, Peter became the first non-County artist to become a full-time member of Arts On Main, a Co-operative gallery in downtown Picton, ON. Peter has work in many collections including Shell Canada Ltd, J, Bate and Associates (Kingston,ON), Thomas, Large and Singer (Woodbridge,ON), and the Federation of Canadian Artists (Vancouver).

He has served twice as a juror for Prince Edward County's  annual 'Art In The County' exhibition.

His work has been selected in a number of juried exhibitions including:

• Summer 2005:, SCA Gallery On The Grand (Waterloo)- 'Spring Trout Lilies'.
• Summer 2007:, 100 Years at the Arts and Letters Club (Varley Gallery, Markham)-'Celebration'.
•  Summer 2008: OSA Toronto..'Thistles'.
• Summer 2009: OSA Summer Exhibition, Gallery de Boer, Owen Sound, two works:
• One Afternoon In Seville' and 'Nick's Barn'.

Peter Large's home and studio is on Amherst Island, in Lake Ontario, west of Kingston. Settled more than 200 years ago, Amherst Island has seen waves of immigrants - United Empire Loyalists, the Irish, the English... Mostly farmers, these immigrants left  their traces- old houses and barns, cemeteries, split-rail fences, Irish-built stone walls and early farm machinery. These influence Peter's work, expressed not in rust or decay but with respect and with the view that these 'traces' are evidence of an early optimism that continues here to-day.

Peter's work can be seen in the Arts On Main Gallery, Picton ON and the SideStreet Gallery in Wellington ON.

Summer at the Wool Shed

Split Rail Fence

Sam

E.C. (Sam) Lougheed, P.Ag.

Receiives AIC Fellowship Award 1992

E.C. (Sam) Lougheed, P.Ag., was born in Thornbury, Ontario and received his BSc and MSA from the Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph. He received his PhD from Michigan State University, supported by an Agricultural Institute of Canada scholarship. 

Lougheed has spent his entire teaching career in the Department of
Horticultural Science at the University of Guelph. In addition to a heavy teaching load, he has continued his research on the postharvest physiology of fruits and vegetables especially with relation to controlled atmosphere storage and has become internationally known in the field. In 1989, he became only the fifth Canadian to be named a Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science.

Lougheed has been extensively involved with the Scientific Journals of the AIC and has served as Editor of the Canadian Journal of Plant Science and as Chairman of the Editorial Policy Board for the Canadian Journals of Plant, Soil and Animal Science.

Lougbeed has also been involved in international development and has worked on projects in India, Thailand and is currently consulting on a CrDA-sponsored project in Argentina.
Above Info supplied by Mac Bolton Feb. 2018.

LOUGHEED, Everett Charles "Sam" (MSc., PhD.) -1927-2009

Passed away at St. Joseph's Health Centre, Guelph on Friday, August 14, 2009. Everett Charles ''Sam'' Lougheed at the age of 82 years. Beloved husband and best friend for over 50 years of Leslie (nee Burness). Proud father of Stephen (Anne), Katherine (Alan Banks) and Robert. Cherished Grandpa of David, Evelyn, Danielle, Amanda and John. Dear brother of Margaret Ulch (the late Alec),Clinton (Rosemarie), Frank (Helen) and the late Ethel and George. Everett was a graduate of OAC in 1958 and a long time Professor of Horticultural Science at the University of Guelph. He was a supporter of The Guelph Field Naturalists and an amateur historian. Friends may call at the GILCHRIST CHAPEL -McIntyre & Wilkie Funeral Home , One Delhi Street, Guelph (from 10-11 a.m. Saturday August 22, 2009) with a memorial service following at 11 a.m. with The Rev. John Borthwick officiating. Cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Ontario Nature, or the Alzheimer Society of Guelph-Wellington would be appreciated. We invite you to leave your memories and donations online at: www.gilchristchapel.com

News Updates 1&2

1: Meeting The Dean Rob Gordon

OAC ’58 Came Calling

  

Recently a delegation from the OAC

Class of ’58 met with dean Rob Gordon
and faculty and staff from the college to
better understand the strategic direction
that OAC is taking in its teaching and
research activities.
Bill Stevens, who was accompanied
by classmates Jim Wilcox, Bev Gloin, Tip
Haagsma and Charlie Gracey, explained
that graduates of his generation had
witnessed dramatic transformations in
agriculture during their lifetime. Those
who have worked in agriculture are
convinced that intensive, highly
productive and efficient agriculture is the
only way we will meet the challenges of
feeding a growing world population.
The group wanted to know if the OAC
dean’s office, and by extension the OAC
faculty, shared that conviction and that
it was reflected in research and teaching
programs throughout the college. They
expressed some concern that too much
emphasis was being placed on reduced input
organic production systems, and
that while this should remain a choice
for agricultural producers, the future
food supply clearly depends on science based
production practices.
“We received welcome assurances that
OAC has not strayed from its longstanding
tradition of ‘science in agriculture,’” said
Stevens, “but I think this is the beginning
of an important dialogue between alumni
and their alma mater.”
 Charlie Gracey, OAC ’58

2: Alec Skepasts

(Submitted by Charlie Gracey)
And I've a story to tell.

We just returned from a visit with an old old friend and I thought this would be of interest to everyone in '58. In our first year there was a chap a bit older than most or us named Alec Skepasts. He was Don Brock's roommate in first year. Alec was from Latvia and fled Latvia to Germany during the war when the Russians invaded. After the war he came to Canada and did 2 years labour in a gold mine in Manitoba followed by factory work in Toronto before coming to OAC. He had to improve his English and one of our English profs Prof Ross told Alec that he would never graduate as long as he was on staff. Some of you might remember the disdainful prick. Alec Failed first year and transferred to MacDonald College where he graduated in 58 and stayed on to get his MSA. Donna and I reunited with Alec when we both arrived at Kemptville Ag school in the fall or 1960 and have been friends ever since. Alec had a quite accomplished career and became recognized as one of OMAFRA's best in the area of Northern Agriculture spending most of his career at New Liskeard.

In 1989, around the time of the Berlin wall destruction Latvia was working its way out from under Soviet rule and Alec was invited to come to Latvia and give some instruction in northern cropping practices. I knew of this at the time but OMAFRA declined to help him with travel expenses and also insisted that he use his holiday time. So he paid his own way. I interceded or tried to, and urged the DM of the day to reconsider pointing out that this would be a feather in their cap to send one of their own, a recognized expert in crop science, back to his native land to assist a struggling country etc,etc. All in vain. Alec went and did his thing struggling, not with the Latvian language but with the Latvian terms common to crop science because, of course  he left Latvia long before he learned anything about agronomy.

In any case that is a story I have known about since 1989.

But during our visit last Saturday he he told me something i had not known, "the rest of the story" if you will. When he left Latvia the University where he had given his lectures conferred upon our old classmate an Honourary Doctorate in gratitude for his service. Alec showed us the citation and I gave him hell for keeping this honour a secret inside his family. Typical of Alex's modesty he told me he didn't think he had earned it.

I think and hope that many in our class will remember Alec. I know all the OMAFRA guys do and thought I should spread this story among our classmates. Alec and his wife Astrid are well and will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this coming December ,(2016). Alec is 88 and Astrid, who also fled Latvia is 89.

Chas  

He's done it again!

Owen Reports:
"On Sunday Oct 12, 2014, I ran the Victoria 1/2 marathon in 2 hours & 24
minutes, considerably slower than last year's 2 hours 7 minutes, placing 6th vs 3rd last year."
He seemed to be disappointed, but after all, who among us would even consider entering such an event. Well done Owen.

News of Our West Coast Classmate Owen Townsend:

Keeping up to date with our Western Classmate:

Owen will be in Walldorf, Germany, a small town near Heidelberg, from Nov. 7, to Dec. 18, on an assignment for Hewlett Packard’s Enterprise Division, which has been asked by AGS, a women’s clothing firm, to manage their  Mail Order Processing System (MOPS) which operates similarly to Amazon.
He intends to be in Toronto, Dec. 19^th, to celebrate Christmas, with his two sons and their families, and then on Dec. 28^th off  to Vancouver to celebrate the New Year with family and friends. 


Owen, has for several years been competing in “Half Marathon” races.
This year, running in the Victoria Half Marathon, he completed the race in a time of 2:07,
Third, only slightly, behind the First place finisher, in his age group, at 1:58. Well done Owen!
                                    Age Group 75-79
Place  DIVOA   Name                   Time     
 1/8   M7579   Garth Ball        1:59:13 1:58:57
 2/8   M7579   Lue Kerr          2:04:56 2:02:23
 3/8   M7579   Owen Townsend     2:09:57 2:07:08
 4/8   M7579   David Kalles      2:23:01 2:19:09
 5/8   M7579   Don Brander       2:24:22 2:19:46
 6/8   M7579   Ted Roberts       2:52:47 2:48:45
 7/8   M7579   Evan Fagan        3:09:58 3:06:05
 8/8   M7579   Mike Morris       3:49:43 3:46:24
Record 1:41:44 by Maurice Tarrant in 2009

Owen also placed First in the BMO on May 5^th, completing the race in an identical time of 2:07.
He modestly says that the faster guys did not show up.

Owen’s Comments:

What a fabulous weekend it was in Victoria
- great fall weather, sunny & cool, great for the race
- wonderful race route, along the coast line
- starting & ending in the downtown core, near the hotel
- stayed at Harbour Towers, classy old hotel
- already planning to enter again next year.



   

To see more info on the race, and a map of the course, go to : http://runvictoriamarathon.com/aftertherace/results.php

Vancouver Half Marathon May 7, 2017

Alyssa, Christina & Owen

Limo Ride to Start Line

With Race Sponsor, John Stanton,
Founder of "The Running Room

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Owen and Christina,
who set the pace, at the Finish Line



Owen, Jim & Eleanor Sharing Jim's 80th Birthday OAC 56

Eleanor at Home

Meal Time

58 GRAD HONOURED

'58 Alumnus Inducted into Ontario Golf Hall of Fame

GORD WITTEVEEN, OAC BSA 1958, was posthumously inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame this May. Witteveen was a career superintendent with over a half-century of service at golf clubs across Ontario and Quebec. He was also the founding director of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and a golf writer, author, speaker and educator before passing away in 2010 at the age of 76.