Obituary Overview
Professor John Seymour Sheasby
Professor John Seymour Sheasby received the B.Sc. (Hons) (Metallurgy) in 1960 from the
University of Birmingham and PhD. (Metallurgy) from the University of New South
Wales in 1964. He was a post-doctoral Fellow at McMaster University
(Metallurgy) in 1964-66. He was appointed to the U.W.O. Faculty of Engineering
on July 1, 1966. Professor Emeritus was conferred by UWO in 2004.
At heart, John was a teacher and a bench scientist. He was happiest exploring high
temperature oxidation of metals, crystal structures, and mechanisms and
mechanics of boundary layer investigations in his lab; or explaining the
subtlety of corrosion and wear in a wide range of failed materials to
undergraduates. Because he believed that engineers working in the academic
setting should experience the world of applied industrial materials he took his
sabbatical years at Broken Hill Properties in Newcastle, Australia; US Steel,
Pittsburgh; Esso Oil, Sarnia; and finally with Tesma/Magna in Cape Breton.
John believed that young faculty should be mentored and encouraged in both teaching
and research. During his various terms as Chair of the Materials Group, and later
as Head of the Mechanical and Materials Department, he led by example: teaching
both undergraduate and graduate courses, maintaining his own research,
publishing in refereed journals and conference proceedings, while carrying out
private consulting.
Upon retirement he devoted his energies to amateur geology, which led him to explore
remote parts of the world. When at home he enjoyed the intricacies of duplicate
bridge, and delighted in zipping his boat through the remote small-craft
channels of Georgian Bay with his family.
Dearly beloved husband and best friend of Marjorie Mewburn Sheasby, he left to mourn
him his children Michael (Pascale), Montreal, Quebec, and Susan (Deborah),
Austin, Texas; his grandchildren Alexandre, Jeanne and Léa Sheasby of Montreal;
his brother Richard (Delia) of Whitchurch, U.K. and his sister Helen Sheasby
Slattery of Warrington, U.K.
Cremation has taken place. Friends and colleagues are invited to join the family for a
celebration of John’s life at Memorial Funeral Home, 1559 Fanshawe Park Road
East, London, Ontario on Sunday, April 15, 2018, 2-4 p.m., with anecdotes and
stories at 3 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make a donation in memory of John are asked to
consider the Dr. John Sheasby Memorial Fund in Materials Engineering at
www.giving.westernu.ca/ways-to-give/tribute/
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Professor John Seymour Sheasby 2018.source
Décès pour la Ville: London, Province: Ontario
