“Teach the Children Well…”
It is with enormous regret that we announce the passing of Dr. Walter Donald Samiroden on Dec. 2, 2019. Walter is survived by his wife of 59 years, Nona; 2 daughters, Lara (grandchildren, Brogan and Lachlan) and Marnie (Kim). He was predeceased by both his parents and his brothers.
Walter was born in North Battleford, SK. on Oct 1, 1938. His early years were spent on a farm with his family near Blaine Lake, SK. Later the family moved into Blaine Lake where he attended and graduated from high school as one of the many high achieving students of that small Doukhobor community who became teachers, lawyers, doctors, professors, and priests. He entered the University of Alberta at age 17 in Zoology intending to become a dentist. Interests and time changed his plans when he went on to receive a BSc (Zoo), MSc. (microbiology), B.Ed. and Ph.D. Wallie began his teaching career at Eastglen Composite High School where he left a lasting impression on many young minds. He left there to pursue an opportunity to teach in a small village in Uganda, East Africa. While this was a great adventure for a young family to have, his time there from 1971-1973 was cut short by Idi Amin’s military dictatorship. He came back to enjoy a very fulfilling career teaching Biological Sciences in Secondary Education at the University of Alberta. He was passionate about educating these young adults and took pride in encouraging students to take an active roll in their education through self-developed unit plans. During the later part of his time at the University of Alberta, he gained further pleasure through the mentoring of both Masters and Ph.D. students and guiding them through their respective programs.
In forty years of teaching, he made himself available to his students day and night, and more often than not, he remembered the names of each and every student he taught. He retired from the UofA in 1996 where he took on another adventure and went to teach in Lahore, Pakistan at the Ali Institute of Technology. He was there from September 1996 to December 1998. His love of Africa pulled him back though, where he was an Education Facilitator in both East and South Africa. He was deeply committed to social justice and expressed this through his devotion to raise the standard of education in lesser developed nations.
Over and above the joy and pride he took in his family; he loved his friends and people in general and was always genuinely curious and caring. He never lost the love of learning. He also loved camping and was an avid golfer. He regretted horribly that his injured back took that joy away.
Wallie will be deeply missed by all his cherished friends and forever missed and loved by his family.
The family invites you to our “Memories” afternoon drop-in. Wallie requested no formal tributes. This gathering will take place on Dec. 21, 2019 from 1 pm to 4 pm at Northgate Lions Recreation Centre, located at 7524 – 139 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB, T5C 3H7, #780-496-6969 M-F 8:30-4:30.
If one wishes to make donations, the family requests that they are made to the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Walter Samiroden 2019..
Décès pour la Ville: Edmonton, Province: Alberta