在我们莱桥市，他是位德高望重的人物，朋友来电话，说他驾鹤西去了，走的很平静，在他的睡梦中离开，没有痛苦。他是位96岁的老人，离开也纯属正常，没有痛苦，应该是老天给他的恩赐！看他的生平，挺让人敬佩的。
这段日子，好多追悼他，向他salute 的文章。作为他们的朋友，我也应该留下一笔。
记得刚来到这个城市时，那是八十年代末，几乎没有华人学生。我经常被邀请到他家参加聚会，讨论各种社会问题，中国问题，作为新人来的这里之后，对这里社会的看法，等等...。
我们经常争论，而且很认真，记得有一回，我们争的双方急眼了，他太太出来解围，说那个话题是你提出来的，她回答了，你怎么着急了呢？ 从此我们成了朋友。与他讨论，辩论，一般情况下，我一定是说不过他的，心里也挺郁闷的。后来我先生，大家称呼他为《老P》来了，老P在他的工作系统内是著名的毒舌。我马上把他介绍给了他，总算有报复他的机会了， 让他们英国人之间去争论吧。不出所料，他们真的经常为一些社会敏感性的问题讨论，争论的面红耳赤。同时也成了好朋友，知音。他参加我们的聚会，我们也参加他们组织的聚会。
记得曾经写过文章，描述过参加两个不同聚会后的感受，以及老教授给他太太系鞋带的故事等，很受大家的欢迎。
每次参加他们的聚会，真的是很开心，因为很特别，没有那么多的老套，只要他在钢琴前一坐，客人们很自然的开唱，他弹到哪里，大家唱到那里。然后吃饭，然后喝茶或喝咖啡，然后大家开始为一些感兴趣的问题开始严肃的讨论。
记得刚来到这里，我不会唱歌的，他们唱，我默默的坐在那里听，他发现了，要求我单独唱，唱我熟悉的中国歌。我实在想不起来我能唱什么，就唱了一首当时流行的军港之夜，反正他们也听不懂，不会知道是什么意思，不会明白这歌与当时的场景不相符。唱完了，他既然让我再唱一遍，然后他就可以给我弹琴了，当时觉得他好牛啊！
他是典型的苏格兰人，与现在女王的先生很像，体型，说话的腔调都很像，经常会刺到别人他自己浑然不知。认识他的人，知道他没有恶意，大家都很尊重他，不了解的人，觉得应该与他保持距离，别莫名其妙的被他讽刺，挖苦，取笑。
老了，他反而变得像个小孩，有次聚会，我准备了一道红烧猪肘子，还怕那些老人们不敢吃呢，没想到他喜欢的不得了，一次次的吃，又一次次的要我再接着做，还要我介绍制作方法，当时感觉非常的受宠若惊，因为我对我的烹调技术从来是没有信心的。我先生也觉得他怎么老了反而变成孩子了呢？
他的故事很多。总之好人，会永远活在人们的心里。老先生，一路走好！
CAMPBELL, Gordon
POSTED: MAY 15TH, 2017
GORDON CAMPBELL, PHD
August 21, 1921 – May 1, 2017
Born August 21, 1921, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, to Ruth and Duncan Campbell. The youngest of four boys (Neil, Lockman and Duncan), Gordon learned to play the piano early, achieving a performance diploma from the Toronto Conservatory of Music. Money was scarce for the Campbell family so Ruth bartered for Gordon’s piano lessons with home-canned goods, most often pickles.
Gordon had a taste for debate that was legendary and the more controversial the topic the greater his enthusiasm. Gordon’s life as an educator and administrator took root when he became Vice-Principal of the Iron Springs School and Principal of Monarch School in Alberta from 1939 – 1940.
Gordon was a World War II Navy Veteran, serving in the Atlantic Fleet from 1943-45. His active service left him with lasting difficult memories. After the war, Gordon became the First National Executive Secretary of the World University Service of Canada (“WUSC”) in Toronto. Gordon received an MA from the University of Toronto in 1951. He continued graduate studies at Harvard University where as a bell ringer, nimbly manipulating an intricate series of ropes, pulleys, and pedals he sent a string of chimes through the Cambridge, MA, air. His musical gift enabled him to play some of the great pipe organs of Europe, as a “drop-in”, to the amazement of many church and cathedral curators. Gordon had a catalogue of 10,000 songs in his head that he could play without written music, at will, in any key.
Meeting at a Toronto conference in 1957, Gordon fell for and smartly married Sylvia Anne Woeller, of Kitchener, Ontario. They settled in Regina with baby Douglas where Gordon was the Director of Adult Education for the Province of Saskatchewan. In 1962, Gordon was appointed Director of Extension, University of Waterloo. In 1964, he and Sylvia moved to Trail, BC, where he became the Founding President of Selkirk Community College in Castlegar (now Selkirk University). Darroch, Lachlan and Janet joined the family in 1965, 1966 and 1968. The family moved to Lethbridge where Gordon joined the newly established University as Founding Faculty and associate professor of Education. He obtained a PhD from the University of Calgary in 1971.
In Lethbridge, Gordon and Sylvia were active leaders in their new community. In 1968, Gordon began the Southern Alberta Council of Public Affairs in Lethbridge. Its mandate was to explore issues of community concern and controversy, and to Gordon’s delight was varyingly characterized as conservative, communist and socialist, depending on the style of the last speaker. Always a Scotsman, Gordon felt it was important for those attending to obtain the equivalent of a university seminar with a sandwich, pastry, and beverage, at below cost.
Gordon taught his children a reverence for the natural world from countless adventures hiking, camping, swimming, beach combing, clamming and star gazing, especially on Hornby Island and in the Lethbridge coulees. These experiences endure as the happiest of family memories. Gordon and Sylvia were indulgent parents in only one way, the number and species of pets allowed in the household. Visitors might find dogs, cats, turtles, pigeons, chickens, piranhas, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters and goldfish all coexisting in our lively Lethbridge household.
In 2015, Gordon and Sylvia moved closer to family in Vancouver where he continued to play the piano giving delight to all. He tapped into his vast song catalogue up until his last days. On May 1, 2017, succumbing to health challenges associated with old age, Gordon died in his sleep after being surrounded by family, friends and song.
Often described as larger than life, Gordon filled myriad roles: husband, father, grandfather, friend, advisor, challenger, educator, communicator, facilitator, musician, mentor, world traveler, and peacemaker. An indelible figure, he leaves a great imprint on our souls. Gordon loved nothing better than a gathering for good discussion, over roast beef, with music and a wee dram of scotch.
Never a dull moment followed Gordon who leaves a gaping hole in the lives of his wife Sylvia; children Douglas, Darroch, Lachlan and Janet; son-in-law Richard and daughter-in-law Nina, and grandchildren Aria, Lucius, Ava and Julian, along with many nieces and nephews.
A concurrent memorial service for Gordon will be held May 20 at Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church Vancouver, BC, at 11:00 am PST with a simulcast at McKillop United Church in Lethbridge, AB, at 12:00 noon CMT.
In lieu of flowers, if you are so moved, please donate to a social justice cause focusing on human rights and equality for all persons under the sun.
