Dr. Elia Zureik (Professor Emerita, Sociology):
I have fond memories of Bob. His decency, honesty and sharp intellect always impressed me, and I learned a lot from him about Canadian society when we edited a two-volume anthology on Canada. The occasion of Bob’s death coincided with the sad news around us in Canada and elsewhere on the occasion of COVID-19. Let us hope COVID-19 will before too soon become a distant memory.
Dr. Deborah Harrison (Professor (retired) & Adjunct Professor, University of New Brunswick):
I was an undergraduate student of Bob’s in the very early 1970s, and we stayed in pretty close touch for the rest of his life, even though I never lived in Kingston again after I left Queen’s.
Bob made a great difference in my life. I had done quite badly in second year sociology, and taken a year off to hitch hike to Mexico with my boyfriend. When I returned, Bob told me that I did not deserve to be in Honours sociology. I must have been a masochist because I took two courses with him, and he was openminded enough to change his mind about me. Even though I had been an excellent high school student, I was on the way at that time to getting married to my then-boyfriend, and becoming mostly a mother. Bob was one of the main people who changed that by taking an interest, and encouraging me to do good work. He worked hard to get me into graduate school, and my first experience of teaching a summer course was at the University of Regina without even an MA, because Bob had recommended that they invite me. That was such a valuable experience. I never got the sense that Bob especially cherished the directions my sociology career took. But we remained lifelong friends, because we had the same humour, we both liked to write letters, and we had a bond. We had both grown up as only children. We both went to the Learneds every year, wherever they were, and would always find an evening to have dinner together. My husband and I have lived halftime on Grand Manan Island since I retired, and it became an annual tradition to visit the Pikes when we were travelling back and forth, including getting to know Eleanor, Chris, Sidney, Martin, and Clara, who would make a point of being there at the same time.
It had been hard to find Bob by phone recently, because he tended not to return phone messages, and I am really busy. But we did talk on December 28th – short because nurses came in and then a visitor – but it was a good talk, about how women adjust better to living in retirement residences than men do, and how none of the men were accepting his invitations to play chess or checkers. I wanted to call again, and continue the conversation, but it was not to be. Bob remained very depressed after Faye’s death, and I was impressed at how he was nevertheless trying to reach out to the men in the community where he lived.
Here I am expressing condolences to you, but it seems really expressing my loss of one of my best-ever friends.
Dr. David Lyon (Professor, Sociology):
From the moment that I set foot at Queen’s, 30+ years ago, now, Bob welcomed me with a sincerity and warmth that I shall never forget. He quickly became a dependable friend as well as a trusted colleague, which meant that he would help me, as a relative newcomer to Canada and definitely to Queen’s, to feel at home. His door was always open and we could laugh and chat together—which we also did in the mailroom, when that fine institution was still a social hub.
We were in the same research area—communications, new technology and, latterly, surveillance—and so we were able to work together on several projects and in all, I found his involvement encouraging and sage. We participated in at least one joint SSHRC application for research funds. In later years he was very supportive of the Surveillance Project, which became the Surveillance Studies Centre, and again, his intimate, long-term knowledge of the inner workings—and quirks—of Queen’s was invaluable.
I enjoyed his company at specifically social events, too. He was a witty and cheery conversationalist and always seemed to have a relevant opinion on the matter at hand, not to mention a pun or other jest to keep the banter going. I recall that he always had a glass of wine—usually white—when we had lunch together in the University Club. Myself, I had a hard time remaining conscious in an afternoon meeting if I’d had a lunchtime drink—no doubt he’d found the knack of at least appearing to be attentive after such a lunch.
The last time that we saw him together with Faye was at a little luncheon in our backyard, together with Elia and Mary Zureik. He was his usual self, genial and outgoing, but by then he was having even more of a hard time with his back, which rendered him unable to be seated for any length of time without a break and a rest. He told stories, as I remember, about a cruise—perhaps on the Nile?—from which they has returned not so long before. Much laughter and bonhomie in the early afternoon sunshine!
Bob was a gentleman in the literal sense of the word; a caring, compassionate and peacemaking man. Like all of us, he had endearing (and maybe, for some, annoying at times) idiosyncrasies. But my thoughts about Bob—and the ones I cherish—are of him as an open-hearted and sensible confidant as well as one with whom it was easy to feel at ease. Salt of the earth.
Dr. Robert Hamilton (Professor Emerita, Sociology):
I’d like to stress Bob’s commitment to fairness, social justice, and community stewardship.
I think you’ll find on his cv that he chaired one of the early committees on racism.
When I was newly in the department and he was Head, he came to tell me I was being underpaid and he intended to rectify this, which he did.
Dr. Fiona Kay (Professor, Sociology):
Bob was a wonderful colleague -- welcoming to new faculty, encouraging, good humored and dedicated to Queen's.
He was a man of integrity. He could always be counted on to help pitch in where help was needed.
He encouraged others in their research, was a team-player in collaborations, and championed innovation.
He was tremendously supportive of graduate students and enjoyed mentoring junior faculty.
I will miss the twinkle is his eye when he was joking and his roaring laugh when he told stories.
He was proud of his family and cared very much for his children's happiness.
He was just a lovely man.
I shall miss him.
Dr. Vince Sacco (Professor Emeritus, Sociology):
-Bob and Faye were big opera fans. When the Met operas were shown in Kingston via closed circuit they were always there.
-while it wasn’t always apparent to people, Bob had quite the sense of humor. He was a fan of Monty Python and the other British humorists of the period. I remember one year he was so excited because they were going to the Montreal comedy festival. In particular Bob liked puns. Of course being named Pike left him vulnerable to the word player brothers.
-Bob and Faye were people who were always welcoming. I remember when I came on the job interview Bob had offered me a room at his house which I have never heard of a department head doing before or since. I declined the offer because I was a smoker at the time and quite nervous about the interview. But they were always having people over to their home and were always as helpful as they could be with new faculty or with people experiencing difficulties beyond their professional commitments.
-as a Head Bob was a decent and fair administrator. He held that position during a particularly difficult period and spent a lot of his time mediating conflict and soothing bruised egos.
Dr. Annette Burfoot (Department Head, Sociology):
Bob was Head when I was hired to Queen’s 31 years ago. He was fair and helped me find my feet in the Department including co-supervising my first ever graduate student. I also remember Bob acknowledging a point I made as a very junior faculty member in a departmental meeting when I was feeling pretty small and inconsequential. He was a sort of campus statesman and always drew respect from colleagues and administrators alike. He was devoted to the wellbeing of the Sociology program and all those in it! I will miss him.
Professor Christine Sypnowich (Head of Philosophy, Queen’s):
So sorry about Robert Pike. I remember him when I first came to Queen's. Always seemed like a really great guy. He was a lot of fun too. A special person - very sad. My deepest condolences to you and your colleagues.
Dr. David Murakami Wood (Associate Professor, Sociology):
I probably have a lot less to say than most others who have been here longer. But Bob was actually one of the first people I remember talking with when I arrived here. He struck me as both a very kind man, and someone who was genuinely interested in what other people were working on, whatever it was.