Obituary of Kenneth Bruce Beesley

BEESLEY: Dr. Kenneth B. Beesley passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early morning, on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. He is survived by his daughter Rebecca Beesley, who will miss him greatly. Dr. Beesley completed his PhD in Geography at the University of Waterloo in 1985. Dr. Beesley began at Brandon University in 2002 until his retirement in 2014. Prior to this time, he was a Professor at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro, for ten years, the last eight of which he was the Director of the Rural Research Centre. Prior to that, he worked at several universities in both British Columbia and Ontario. Ken's primary area of expertise was in better understanding community and life satisfaction in the rural-urban fringe. He published dozens of papers in scholarly journals and edited volumes. His last major work was an edited volume, titled The Rural-Urban Fringe in Canada: Conflict and Controversy (2010). This twenty-five chapter volume includes Canadian scholars from coast-to-coast and is a testament to his reputation in the field. In the Department of Rural Development, Ken taught a range of courses, including Rural Sustainability, Economic Development, and the Rural-Urban Fringe. Throughout his career, he guided countless undergraduate and graduate students to successful programs and careers with his gift of one-on-one conversations. In lieu of flowers, his daughter is asking that those who wish to make a donation to Canadian Diabetes Canada, 401-1 Wesley Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3C 4C6.