Gibbins, Roger passed away peacefully, yet unexpectedly on March 10, 2024, in Vancouver at the age of 76. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Isabel Gibbins, brother Michael Gibbins (Betty Gibbins), sons Chris and Dan Gibbins, daughter-in-law Lin Ho-You, granddaughter Dara Gibbins and his nephews and nieces.
While Roger’s career as a prominent political scientist meant that he was busy and in demand well past his initial retirement, he was consistently an active and engaged father who was indelibly involved in the lives of his children and granddaughter. Wherever the interests and goals of his children and granddaughter led them, and in his family’s shared love of seeing the world, Roger was always at their side with curiosity, enthusiasm, and support, helping them to succeed in their passions as he had succeeded in his. Roger’s focus on his family led him to find ways to use anecdotes about them to illustrate political theory, just as family discussions about where to eat or what movie to watch often involved teaching his elementary school-aged sons about single transferrable voting.
Roger has authored, co-authored or edited 23 books and more than 100 articles and book chapters, mostly dealing with Western Canadian themes and issues. A recipient of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal and Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Alberta Order of Excellence, Roger served as the head of the political science department of the University of Calgary, President of the Canada West Foundation, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, President of the Canadian Political Science Association, and proud father and grandfather. He leaves behind friends and well-wishers throughout Alberta’s political, academic, and amateur theatre communities.
Roger’s career and accomplishments are described in greater detail at
www.alberta.ca/aoe-roger-gibbins
.
A Celebration of Life will be held this summer in Calgary, date and location to be determined.