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Jim Mason lit a candle
Saturday, March 21, 2020
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Dr. Ross was my faculty advisor when I arrived at MtA as a nervous little lad from rural Nova Scotia in 1984. Geography was my favorite subject all through high school and how great was it to have a faculty advisor who was head of that department. Four years of studying later Eric was my honors thesis advisor and I recall I was his first honors thesis student at MtA, remarkable! His attention to detail and precision in research and writing would prove a valuable lesson and one that got me through a masters in business and a great deal of post-grad and professional studies. I still have an autographed copy of Beyond the River and the Bay on my bookshelf. Learning of his death brings back so.many fond memories of my five years as a geography student in Sackville. Thank you Dr Ross, Dr Ennals (Peter) and Dr McCann for being great teachers and mentors.
Jim Mason
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Larry McCann posted a condolence
Saturday, August 3, 2019
I first met Eric in1963 as a student at the University of Victoria where Eric taught in the Geography Department before he headed east, first to Bishop’s University and later to Mount Allison. A decade later, in 1974, Eric recruited me and Peter Ennals to join him at Mt.A. Eric was an imaginative teacher and a creative writer. He was also an inveterate global traveller who brought first-hand knowledge gained from travels into the classroom. He shared his love of the Maritimes to those of us who were “from away.” I remember in particular a long drive we took together to the top of Green Hill in Pictou County. From that vantage point, a newcomer could see and grasp the sequence of the region’s development — from mercantile Pictou Town, to the coal mining settlements of Westville and Stellarton, and onto the iron and steel towns of New Glasgow and Trenton. Without that introduction, I doubt that I would have spent many years researching and writing about Pictou County’s industrial history. Eric of course had a lighter outlook on life, exemplified by learning to play the bag pipes in his fifties and sharing this new-found talent by piping at birthday parties of the young and old. When I told my son and daughter of Eric’s passing, they both remembered just such an occasion. RIP Eric.
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John Wolforth posted a condolence
Thursday, February 7, 2019
I worked with Eric in the then 2-person Geography Department of Mt A. He was a supportive Chair and a welcoming friend to me and my small family. I am sorry to read of his death, but glad to know that he lived a full and satisfying life in his beloved Sackville
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Peter Ripley uploaded photo(s)
Thursday, January 24, 2019
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Eric celebrating his 80th birthday.
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Peter Ennals posted a condolence
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
In March 1974 Eric Ross recruited me to join the fledgling Geography Department at Mount Allison University. This overture came out of the blue and began with a chance meeting in the summer of 1973 when I was serving as a sabbatical replacement at Queen's University. As I recall I was the only one in the Department that sleepy summer day. As I toiled away preparing course materials a large shadow darkened the cubicle that been assigned to me. Eric introduced himself and we had an amiable get-to-know-you chat. I had heard of Eric but had never met him. Something must have clicked as a result of this brief encounter for about five months later Eric contacted me with an invitation to interview for a position at Mount A. This opportunity led to my appointment and a long, excellent working relationship with him. Eric and I shared the same research field of historical geography and he was a collegial mentor. I have fond memories of our debates in the Department and others that reveal his often singular behaviour, such as the day he felt a yearning to go skating. While most Sackvillians would just head for the nearest rink or pond, Eric chose the Rideau Canal. To this end, with skates in hand, he drove to the Moncton airport and bought a ticket to Ottawa, returning that evening with flushed cheeks and a big smile.
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Gwen Davies posted a condolence
Sunday, January 20, 2019
It is with great sadness that I have heard of Eric's death. From the time that I joined the English Dept. at Mount Allison in 1977, we were friends through our Canadian Studies affiliations, our mutual connection with Moncton (we were both Moncton High School graduates), and our interest in Maritime cultural history. I have vivid memories of Eric in full Scottish regalia piping in the New Year on my front lawn in Sackville as my parents and I listened enraptured, and I always admired his knowledge of, and interest in, people and their stories. His academic books and articles reflected that either by being told in the first-person by invented characters or by honing in on the way in which people lived and interacted with their surrounding landscape. World travel enriched that sense of curiosity and, even in retirement, Eric traveled widely (I remember his retirement account of signing on as a passenger on a container ship traveling to South America). My last meeting with Eric was nearly two years ago when I stopped off in Sackville and we had a coffee break together. It was clear then that he was frail but indomitable. He will always remain in my memory as someone who recognized the ironies of the world while at the same time generating lasting relationships with students, colleagues, and members of the community. He valued friendship and I certainly valued his. I feel privileged to have known him. Gwen Davies, UNB (retired)
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ERIK HULSMAN posted a condolence
Sunday, January 20, 2019
I HAVE KNOWN ERIC FOR MANY YEARS, HE BECAME A GOOD FRIEND
AND I ENJOYED HIS HUMOUR AND WIT.
I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN HIS TIME ABROAD E.G IN TOKYO AND IN
SOUTH AFRICA, WHERE HE TAUGHT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOS.
HE WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF OUR WEDNESDAY BREAKFAST GROUP,
WHERE MANY HEATED DISCUSSIONS WERE HELD BUT ALWAYS IN AT-
MOSPHERE OF FRIENDSHIP.
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Bieneke McLachlan Posted Feb 3, 2020 at 3:29 PM
Hello Erik. I am adding a comment to your post hoping that you will get notified about it. I also sent you a LinkedIn message using my son-in-law's account. It is Bieneke McLachlan - Mindee here!! Would love to get back in touch with you - my email address is in the linked in message, kind regards, Bieneke
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Alex Fancy posted a condolence
Saturday, January 19, 2019
I will miss Eric’s quick wit, his gentle manner and the many rich conversations we had over the years. Conversations that were often informed by his travels – he had been just about everywhere on the planet! He was an inspiring teacher, a trusted mentor and a loyal friend. Students held him in very high regard.
He seemed to be a perfect geographer: equally curious about people, about society, and about the world around him. And the perfect person to build the first university geography department in our region.
Many people were inspired by his love of the outdoors. I treasure memories of canoeing with him on the Jolicure Lakes, in the waters off Amos Point, and on the Wallace River where we encountered seals on summer afternoons. In his later years, we often met by chance on the Tantramar Marsh, Eric in his car and me on my bicycle. We always had a good chat.
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Janet Hammock posted a condolence
Friday, January 18, 2019
Eric was an amazing person who who always had a positive and cheerful word to say to me when we passed downtown or on the campus. He was a solid citizen, and a part of the Mount Allison faculty at a time when Mount Allison was truly a “family”. He cared about the university — every part of it, in the broadest sense of the word, as well as in every small important detail. His embrace of the world as an exciting and interesting place to live was contagious, and I remember with pleasure the slide shows I saw of some of his travels abroad. Everyone will reminisce about his many “pipings in of the haggis” while Charlie Scobie’s rendering of Bobbie Burns cut through the Scottish air with resounding vigour! But not everyone in Sackville had the great good fortune (as we did) to be personally piped in the dark outside of one’s house in giggles, high jinks and hilarity, along with a well-known local family doctor who shall remain nameless! Eric was far from dour, and when he was involved in something fun like that, he totally enjoyed himself! Eric is already missed. I am so glad that I knew him.
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John Crawford posted a condolence
Friday, January 18, 2019
Eric was one of our favourite people. He had that wonderful Scottish sense of humour and always had a good story. When his mother died Eric was very saddened and ended up at my shop in Dorchester Cape and I told him to sit on the bench at the end of the cliff. He came back feeling much better and would return to the cliffs edge and pipe. Then he began to pipe the tide in from down on the shore. Such fond memories of the pipe music wafting through the air and up to our house. We lived beside him for 10 years in Sackville and every new year Eric would walk around the house and pipe in the new year. We shared many wonderful suppers with him and his humour. He will be greatly missed.
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Susan Amos and David Stewart lit a candle
Friday, January 18, 2019
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Susan Amos and David Stewart posted a condolence
Friday, January 18, 2019
My favourite memory of Eric is of him playing the bagpipes down by the swan pond one August 7th over 35 years ago. It was our daughter's birthday and we had gone to the swan pond as a little outing. How wonderful to have the beautiful, haunting sound of the bagpipes to add to her special day!
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Michael Fox posted a condolence
Friday, January 18, 2019
The entire Canadian Association of Geographers will be saddened by the news of Eric's death. He was a major force in the field for decades and his founding of the program at Mount Allison has stood the test of time. Eric taught thousands of students over his years at Mount Allison and he maintained a helping and caring attitude towards our students and faculty - even stopping to say hello and offer some advice just a couple of weeks ago. He will be remembered for his many years of service to the community and the discipline, as well as his regular trips around the neighbourhood and to the post office.
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Peter Edwards posted a condolence
Thursday, January 17, 2019
I joined the faculty at Mount Allison one year after Eric had been hired. He succeeded in putting together a faculty with solid training, depth of knowledge and teaching skills. He was indeed the founding father of modern geography at Mount Allison. He and I took piping lessons together for a time --- a time now long past but which I thorougly enjoyed. Unfortunately for me, other obligations came along and I ceased practicing. Eric persevered and became for a time the "official piper" for Mount Allison events. We remained friends and I will miss his enthusiasms.
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The family of Dr. Eric Dewitt Ross uploaded a photo
Thursday, January 17, 2019
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