Family, friends bid emotional goodbye to slain professor
Published Thursday November 6th, 2008
FREDERICTON - Family and friends of John McKendy shared stories and tears at an emotional service in Fredericton Wednesday.
Several hundred mourners packed St. Dunstan's Church to pay tribute to the highly-regarded St. Thomas University sociology professor who was murdered in his home last Friday.
McKendy, who was a Quaker, was described during the service as a caring and compassionate man who dedicated his life to peace and social justice.
Michael Higgins, president of the university, called the violent nature of his death an "unspeakable irony."
"This was a man whose whole life was lived according to the principles of Quaker non-violence," he told reporters prior to the service.
"His legacy will be, I hope, not the tragedy of his particular dying, but the remarkable enduring value of his teaching and his integrity."
McKendy, 59, was found dead in his home in Douglas last Friday. McKendy's daughter, Laura McKendy, was also injured in the attack.
Laura's estranged husband Nicholas Wade Baker was charged with first-degree murder on Saturday, hours before he was found dead in a rental car outside a hotel in Moncton.
Police have released few details about the case, including how Baker died. They have, however, ruled out foul play in Baker's death and said there are no other suspects in McKendy's death.
A number of groups have called for an inquiry or coroner's inquest into the slaying to learn what could have been done to prevent it.
Professor Sylvia Hale, a friend and colleague of McKendy's, said earlier this week Baker sent the family emails containing threats of violence.
Hale said the police were aware of the threats, but the RCMP has stated repeatedly they had no knowledge of such threats.
In keeping with Quaker tradition, there was a lengthy period of silence during the service to allow mourners to reflect on their memories of McKendy, and then come forward to share their thoughts.
A wide array of people - students, colleagues, and friends of all ages and backgrounds - stepped to the podium.
One young University of New Brunswick student credited the professor with helping him graduate from high school and get his life back on track. He vowed to complete his university degree in his honour.
A South African woman who began her undergraduate studies at St. Thomas at age 77 recalled that McKendy, her favourite professor, sent her a card signed by all her classmates when her son died.
Another student of McKendy's described the educator as down to earth and someone who insisted on being called 'John' rather than 'professor.' He even took down the doctor designation from his office door.
Many students wore white arm bands in recognition of McKendy's dedication to peace and social justice.
McKendy volunteered for 15 years as an anger management counsellor, organizing and leading workshops inside New Brunswick's Dorchester Penitentiary and the surrounding community.
"John's life's work called us, not to seek vengeance, but to seek peace and understanding," Hale, McKendy's colleague, told mourners.
Earlier this summer, McKendy volunteered in a Quaker-organized work camp to build a clinic in Burundi to provide medical care for women with HIV/AIDS.
A song recorded by his daughter Laura, originally written to wish him well on his next volunteer trip to the poor East African country, was played during the memorial service.
Michael McKendy, John's brother, spoke on behalf of the family, saying there was no one who loved him more than his two daughters, Laura and Colleen.
- with files from Canadian Press
Disabled
Search Articles
More CE Network Sites & Partners:
