Class Notes

Catch up on classmates, housemates, faculty, and friends.

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Marking career and personal achievements, special milestones and the birth of future Queen's alumni - Class Notes helps you stay in touch with former classmates, housemates, and faculty.

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  • STEPHEN BRODSKY, CLASS NOTE

    1960s

    Dr. G.W. Stephen Brodsky

    鈥 Arts鈥69

    Winter 2023

    Steve Brodsky, CD, MA, Victoria; DPhil (Litt.) York (U.K.) savoured condolences from his loving and beloved spouse Kit and family for passing his 90th birthday in November 2023. Following his military and pedagogical academic careers, he has continued to write and publish in his areas of specialty (ample online entries). He has recently embarked on a nonagenarian project: a last book, Intimations of Joseph Conrad, in which 鈥渟ightings鈥 of Conrad鈥檚 presences attest to his preeminent place in Eastern Europe鈥檚 political conscience and in the broadened literary canon. The book explores Conrad鈥檚 abiding modernist influence internationally on 20th century and current postmodern novelists, as well as on screenwriters, playwrights and craftspersons in marine, manual, and plastic arts. Nearing completion, Intimations will be a coda to a creative life, which truly began 60 years ago when the gates of academia at Queen鈥檚 opened for a soldier who knew only of 鈥渋gnorant armies that clashed by night.鈥   

  • 1980s

    Rolf Boon

    鈥 Mus鈥80

    Winter 2023

    After 34 years as a post-secondary educator, as a composer with national and international performances, and as an administrator, Rolf has retired.

    He has composed over 80 works in the instrumental, choral, jazz, film, orchestral, computer, and electroacoustic mediums. Additionally, he composed, performed, and produced all the music for the 1995 Canada Winter Games. Rolf has also composed the score for eight short films and served as music editor on three feature films and 11 documentaries. Several works of his are featured on five CDs, and he has received over 18 grants and awards in the areas of research and recording.

    Rolf has served as Chair for three different departments in two different institutions and was instrumental in the development of two nationally and internationally recognized programs 鈥 the Interactive Digital Design program at Northwestern Polytechnic and the Digital Audio Arts program, co-developed with Dr. Arlan Schultz, at the University of Lethbridge (U. of L.)

    Additionally, throughout his career, he has been active on numerous boards and industry-related national boards (CMC) and juries (i.e., Junos and ACTRAs). His abilities and passion for teaching were recognized by the Alberta Colleges鈥 Faculty Association鈥榮 Provincial Teaching Excellence Award. He also served as a Teaching Fellow at the U. of L.

    At Queen鈥檚, he studied with Dr. Clifford Crawley (composition), Dr. Bruce Pennycook, and Dr. Ireneus Zuk (piano) for his bachelor鈥檚 in music degree. Rolf is grateful for their mentorships, which no doubt contributed greatly to his many academic and artistic successes.

  • Ruth Latta's sixth novel, "A Striking Woman". Class note

    1970s

    Ruth (Olson) Latta聽

    鈥 Arts鈥70, MA鈥73聽

    Winter 2023

    Ruth has published her sixth Canadian historical novel. A Striking Woman is a story of true love and trade union organizing, loosely inspired by the late Madeleine Parent's life. For more information about Ruth's books, visit her .

  • Alumnus Laura Stanley with Ben Horan and their new baby Alexandra, class note

    2000s

    Laura Stanley

    鈥 ArtSci'09, MScOT'14

    Winter 2023

    Laura Stanley and her husband, Ben Horan, welcomed their first daughter, Alexandra, who was born in June 2023.

  • Donald and Janice Cook

    1960s

    Donald George Cook

    鈥 BSc鈥62, MSc鈥65, Phd鈥67

    Winter 2023

    Donald George Cook and Janice (Crump) Cook celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Sept. 14, 2023. this fall 鈥 still a happy couple! 

  • Andrew Boggs

    1990s

    Andrew Boggs

    鈥 Artsci鈥96

    Winter 2023

    Andrew Boggs has been appointed as university secretary of Royal Holloway University of London. He continues as a director of Independent Higher Education, the representative body for independent higher education providers in the U.K. Andrew and his young family live in Twickenham, where he continues to write and speak on issues related to university policy in the U.K.