In Memoriam

Remembering Queen's alumni.

Those Who Have Passed

Sharing memories of friends, faculty, and colleagues - In Memoriam helps you honour those who have recently passed.

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  • Photo of a woman outside – her hair is blowing in the wind and she is wearing a green blazer.

    1980s

    Susan Diane Hall (neé Hands)

    – BA’84

    Fall 2022

    Susan Diane Hall passed away in May 2022, at the age of 58. She is survived by her parents, Clare and Dave Hands, and her twins, Spencer Barnet (Com’21) and Jacqueline Clare Hall (Com’21). After graduating from Queen’s, Susan joined Wood-Gundy Investments in Kingston ahead of its acquisition by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. She moved to Toronto to join CIBC World Markets, earned her CFA designation, and specialized in marketing fixed-income products. She accepted an opening in Singapore, running debt capital markets for Southeast Asia, where she became a student of Asian culture. Her twins, to whom Susan dedicated the rest of her life, were born in Singapore. With CIBC World Markets, Susan moved to Tokyo for two years before returning to Canada, making her home in Vancouver. During this time, she earned her MSc in banking and financial services from Boston University; founded 3PM Partners, a philanthropic consultancy; and taught accounting and business at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. When Jacqueline and Spencer enrolled in Queen’s, Susan relocated to Toronto, where she worked with Coast Capital Credit Union Bank, assisting them in establishing a commercial banking business. When her twins graduated from Queen’s and returned to Vancouver to begin their careers, Susan closed the loop, returning to Kingston, where her working career had begun. Her fondest hope was to work with her beloved Queen’s. Sadly, her declining health would deny her that opportunity.

    Susan was a fearless adventurer: she learned to ski at three, was an accomplished competitive gymnast by the age of 12, and had developed a passion for business before graduating high school. She was passionate about her kids, her worldwide network of friends, and personal philanthropy. At Telus, she worked to establish their National Day of Service and, through her 3PM Partners consultancy, advised high-net-worth clients to support good causes. She was a generous donor, giving her time and financial resources freely. She was an exceptionally dedicated mentor through Junior Achiever programming and coaching young women in finance. More recently, she resumed studying at Queen’s, earning credits in Aboriginal Law, International Law, and Patent and Copyright Law.

  • 2010s

    Kyla Graham (Stigter) and (her baby) Maaike

    – BSc’14, MSc’17

    Fall 2022

    Kyla Graham and her baby, Maaike, both passed away on May 7, 2022. Kyla was 30 years old and Maaike was eight months old. Kyla and Maaike are survived by their loving and proud husband and father, Justin; parents and grandparents, Joyce and John and Marla and Doug; and a very large, loving, and caring extended family too numerous to mention.

    Kyla was a very loving, kind, gentle, caring, generous, and thoughtful person. She was a very devoted wife and mother and always made sure everyone was well taken care of. Kyla was born in Calgary on Aug. 18, 1992. She was the third of four children and was very much an achiever. Kyla attended the Medicine Hat Christian School from Kindergarten to Grade 9. She was the valedictorian of her class. She graduated high school at Crescent Heights in 2010, again valedictorian. From there, she attended Queen's, where she graduated with a master’s in molecular biology.

    Kyla was active in many sports and achieved many awards and medals, especially in competitive swimming. She loved to bake, cook, knit, garden, volunteer, sing, and share her many gifts with others. Kyla returned home in 2017 to find work at the Crop Diversification Centre. She met the love of her life, Justin, and they married in 2019. She was employed by Grasslands School Division at the Junior High level working with the students, where she shared her knowledge, gifts, and talents with many students. Their dogs were very important to Kyla. She loved going for walks with Potter and Winnie along the canal. Family was also very important to Kyla. On Sept. 14, 2021, they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, Maaike Anne. Maaike was very active and curious, determined to achieve whatever she set out to accomplish. She was so cuddly, loveable, very happy, and content. Kyla was so proud and fulfilled to have a beautiful, happy family.

  • 1990s

    Matt Alan Edwards

    – BSc’96

    Fall 2022

    Matt Alan Edwards passed away on May 20, 2022. He will be forever missed by his wife, Robin; and their daughter, Teslyn; parents, Al and Glenys; brother, David Edwards (Laura); sister, Susan Rankin (Brett); parents-in-law, Tim and Sandi Kane; brother-in-law, Mark Kane (Caity); and nieces and nephews: Samson and Amber Edwards; Thomas and Juliet Rankin; and Annalise, Finn, and Madelyn Kane. His extended family includes: aunt, Ada Wynn (Glyn); uncles, Marshall Charchun and Trevor Quigley; and cousins: Jeff, Robb, and Kerry; Bob and Jenny; Janine, Jim, and John. Matt was predeceased by his nephew, Cole Edwards, and aunts, Nancy Quigley and Nevis Charchun.

    Born and raised in St. Albert, Matt was a brilliant athlete and a lifelong participant in sports, from the AAA and university levels to beer leagues. It was baseball, hockey, volleyball, and horseshoes where he showed his natural athleticism and created so many meaningful friendships. He was also incredibly creative: jamming on the drums or harmonica with friends; creating art, constructing games and events for family and friends; or being a wedding singer. And one knew everything would be done with a smile, a laugh and maybe rum.

    Matt earned a civil engineering degree from Queen’s and enjoyed a fulfilling career as a professional engineer because there was no problem his amazing mind could not solve.

    In 2000, Matt married his favourite person, Robin Kane, and in 2005, they welcomed the best part of their life, Teslyn. Matt cherished the privilege of being Teslyn’s dad. He loved coaching her, the family game nights, creating art together, visits to escape rooms, trying to catch waves in Mexico, and the newest hobby of paddle boarding. Matt, Robin, and Teslyn also loved their family vacation time in Mexico, Rhode Island, Jasper, and Robb.

    His kindness, intelligence, creativity, sense of humour, charisma, and his laugh are some of the many things that we will always remember. Especially that laugh. Oh, that laugh.

    While at the ballpark, Matt was 2 for 2 with a double and triple, when he passed away suddenly, surrounded by his team and family, doing what he loved.

  • 1990s

    Dean Lawrence Edgar

    – B.Ed’92

    Fall 2022

    Dean Lawrence Edgar passed away on Dec. 15, 2021. He will be forever missed by his wife, Lisa; their two incredible children, Chris and Cassie; and their dog, Charlie. He will be remembered with love by his parents, Gillie and Larry (Kim); his brothers, Tom (Alexis) and Billy (Jamie), and sister Jodi (Burke). His absence will be felt by his in-laws, Sandra and Graham and Dave (Jane) and their family; grandma Kay; and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Friends and colleagues will always remember his kindness.

    Dean shared his strength, love, and support for others constantly. Dean loved and enjoyed almost all sports, either as a player, a coach, or a fan. He could often be found watching three games simultaneously and chatting about stats the whole time. He loved coaching and watching his teams win, but character and fairness were the most important things to Dean. An award was recently created in his name that will be presented yearly to the football player who best represents dedication, bravery, perseverance, and outstanding display of character — all traits that Dean showed throughout his life.

    Dean was a rock for his family and friends, always offering to help others, even when he was dealing with his cancer diagnosis. He always put others first. Dean loved to laugh, particularly when recalling stories from the past, and he loved to tease others.

  • 1960s

    Kenneth Douglas Does

    – BSc’63

    Fall 2022

    Kenneth Douglas Does passed away on April 26, 2021. He was liked and loved by many, and missing him most will be his wife of almost 60 years, Sharon, as well as his daughter, Karon (Joe); son, Mark (Liz); and granddaughter, Carmen.

    Doug, as he was known to everyone, was born to Dutch immigrants in Ontario and grew up a car and technology enthusiast. He graduated a Tricolour Award winner from Queen’s with an electrical engineering degree and went on to a successful career spanning both private industry and public service. He was passionate about business and studied and taught many aspects of quality management, which eventually took him to western Canada.

    And as hard as he worked, he played. His carpentry skill, combined with his love of trains, produced some magnificent basement model railroads. When he turned on music, it was most often an artist he had discovered at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, where he spent many happy summer days. He loved sports and coached his kids in a variety of them, but hockey (Go Oilers!) was always his favourite. He cheered to the end, battling esophageal cancer, with courage and dignity. He was a good man. The family wishes to extend gratitude to the many Ontario healthcare workers for their kindness and professionalism in helping Doug.

  • Photo of a man wearing a beret, glasses, and a jean shirt. His arms are folded in front of him with his chin resting on a hand.

    2010s

    William Cockrell

    – MA’18

    Fall 2022

    William Cockrell passed away on Aug. 10. He was 30. He is deeply missed by his fiancée, Mira Dineen (Artsci’12); father, Robert Cockrell; mother, Elizabeth Rankin; sister, Stefanie Papasoff; brother, James Cockrell; and extended family and friends.

    "My sense of the holy is bound up with the hope that someday my remote descendants will live in a global civilization in which love is pretty much the only law" — Richard Rorty, American philosopher.

    William was born on Nov. 4, 1991 in New York City. From a young age, he was precocious, bright, exuberant, and kind-hearted. Will's dad, Bob, had a profound influence on Will’s passion for philosophy and his hunger for knowledge. His childhood nanny, Maria Rodriguez, was a source of lifelong love and nurturing. His mother, Elizabeth, cultivated his interests in music and history. Will and his brother James connected over video games and shared humour; he and his sister, Stefanie, bonded over camping and their dog, Blitz.

    Will was cherished for his bright intellect and his deep capacity for empathy. Will moved to Canada to find his path and thrived in academia. He studied philosophy at King’s University College at Western University, graduating with honours. He went on to complete a Master of Arts in Political Science at Queen’s University. Will was an outlaw philosopher. He had a unique ability to weave together disparate threads of philosophy into a mosaic manifesto of his own. Will would spit bars of Tupac, quote Richard Rorty, reference Greek mythology, and then cite the Bhagavad Gita within minutes. He drew wisdom and insight from art, television, and film. He didn’t discriminate in his quest to understand the human experience.

    Will is dearly missed by his fiancée, Mira. They were building their life together on the West Coast, planning their wedding, and hoped to travel to Japan before growing their family. It is a tragedy that their deep, twin-flame love story was cut so short. She will always love and miss him.

    Since Will’s untimely death, there has been an outpouring of grief at the loss of such a gentle, loving man. With Richard Rorty's teachings as his guide, Will held deep convictions that the world needs a moral education that centralizes empathetic love. If each of us could emulate Will’s capacity for love and empathy, the world would surely arrive at a state worthy of his deepest admiration. May we all find and seize opportunities to do so, in his memory.