Colin Dunn passed away in the early morning on March 20, 2024 at the age of 83 after a courageous battle with cancer. Despite this diagnosis and the related health challenges over the past year, Colin’s humour never faltered, even when in palliative care, and he stayed strong until the end. A proud family man, Colin leaves behind Sara, his devoted wife of almost 52 years, his adoring children – Kas (Jen, Winston) and Nina (David, Ella and Aidan) and his loving sister Shirley. Colin’s cheerful attitude, friendliness, and great humour will be missed by all who knew him.
Colin was passionate about geology and he worked tirelessly for decades in advancing the field of biogeochemistry as it relates to exploration.
The family will hold their own private ceremony in the coming days. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Saanich Peninsula Hospital in Colin’s name: https://sphf.ca/support-the-saanich-peninsula-hospital/
Dear Nina and family,
I am sorry for your loss. Warm wishes of peace and comfort to your family in this difficult time.
Mingzhou
Dear Nina and Family,
Very saddened to hear of this news, only just came across the email notification today. My condolences to the family.
Colin and I collaborated on the Rottenstone project in northern Saskatchewan and he demonstrated that sampling Black Spruce trees; from a helicopter, can also be used to vector into buried mineral deposits. Colin I am getting closer to finding this deposit we have talked about for years and will miss our ongoing conversations. Tremendous geoscientist and a wonderful human being. You will be missed Colin.
Sincerely,
Ian Fraser
Shirley,
So sorry to hear of your loss.
Take care,
Brian and Joan
Dearest Shirley
We were so saddened to hear of the passing of your beloved brother Colin
Our deepest condolences and our thoughts are with you and your family through this difficult time
Michael and Joy
Dear Dunn family. I am so very sorry to read of Colins death. I have been his haircutter for many years and i have missed him not sitting in my chair. He was great fun and we had many great laughs together. He was so happy that his sister had finally come to Canada. He will be very much missed.
Kindest regards.
Jill Bailey.
Dear Nina and family: I will always remember Colin’s smile and sincere kindness whenever I ran into him at PGC functions, or out and about. I’m very sad to hear he’s gone. My deepest condolences to you and your family.
I worked closely with Colin throughout his time at GSC-Ottawa. It was Colin who originally hired me to work in the Exploration Geochemistry group. I have very happy memories of fieldwork in Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. Trying to organize the masses of data resulting from his work in NS took me down a career path that I am still pursuing. I am tremendously grateful for all of his mentoring and encouragement. Colin’s time in Ottawa was incredibly productive – he ran projects that spanned almost the entire country – I cannot think of anybody else who came close to his level of activity. We stayed in touch over the years – mostly connected with managing the large archives of biogeochemical samples that are stored in Ottawa – originally in hundreds of boxes, mainly cardboard, of varying sizes, scrounged from locations across the country – more than a few of them had previously held wine bottles. I will always cherish the times I spent with him. He will be missed by many people.
With my deepest sympathy,
Steve Adcock
Dear Sara,
We both are saddened by Colin’s passing and send our deepest condolences. In the short time we knew Colin we seen how kind he was & how funny he could be. One day after cleaning your home, I said to Sadé, you know of all the clients we clean for, Colin & Sara are the nicest and sweetest couple. We will miss him. Sending you lots of love Sara and so many hugs❤️
Dear Sara, Nina, Kas, Shirley and families,
Sending our love and heartfelt condolences to you all. We will always remember Colin’s warmth, kindness, intelligence and humour.
Loraine and Lee Ferreira
My Dearest Kuz Kol, well more like a brother to me, we were close from birth.
What a man, what a life he had, he was always there when needed, gentle, kind, patience, wise, humorous, and of course a modest brilliant man.
A great lose to us all. You will always be with me Kuz❤️
I was very surprised to read Colin’s obituary in today’s Times Colonist. My condolences to his family. I was a fellow student with Colin at Kingston College of Technology in Surrey England in the late 60’s.I was surprised to meet him again at a conference in Vancouver sometime in the early 90’s After a catch up lunch we never were never in touch again and I was unaware he was living close by in Sidney. My deepest sympathy. Don Lister
We I knew and admired Colin for fifty years. During that time, we valued his warm friendship and his dry, impeccable humor. He was a highly intelligent man, a brilliant geologist, and an honorable, kind, honest and decent gentleman. He was loved by his family and his numerous friends.
One of his many notable scientific achievements was the publication of a textbook titled “Biogeochemistry in Mineral Exploration.” Future generations of earth scientists and geochemists will use this pioneer study; for this and other reasons his name will live on. We will miss Colin very much and remember him always.
Gerald and Gisela Ray
Nina I’m so very sorry to learn of Colin’s passing and my heart goes out to you and your family. I knew him for many years and he was best man at our wedding. Terry and i saw him many times after he and Sarah left for a new life in Canada. Over the years when we met up it was just spent laughing and joking. He was a very special friend and i was proud to have had him as a friend. He was a lovely man and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him. The wonderful memories of him will always remain.
My sympathies to the family. I was fortunate to work with Colin during projects in the Bathurst Mining Camp and other parts of New Brunswick. A great teacher and fun to work with in the field. We will miss him.
Michael Parkhill
New Brunswick Geological Survey
My sincere condolences to Colin’s family & community at this time.
Colin was a mentor to a young geoscientist interested in how biogeochemistry could be used in geothermal exploration.
I’ve had the profound luck to spend time with Colin in the field and I treasure those moments learning from such a warm and delightful person.
His legacy will be remembered, as will his love of the science.
My thoughts are with his family as they learn to navigate a world without this wonderful man.
Sincerely,
Madison Ritchie
Dear Sara and Shirley and family
We’re so sorry to see the sad news in this morning’s news paper. Please accept our deepest condolences.
Dear Sara, Nina and family, please accept our sincere condolences with the passing of such a lovely guy that Colin certainly was.
My wife Rosemarie and I only met Colin once, and that was in 2022 in a Sydney restaurant whist we were over from England visiting her brother Gerry Ray, a dear friend and colleague of Colin.
We were in Colin’s company for only an hour, but after we parted, we both felt that we had known him for years.
He was very warm and friendly, full of naughty humour and just a great guy.
On our return to England I exchanged many emails with Colin, and these emails always contained risqué jokes and stories which I passed on to many of my retired ex Police friends and colleagues.
We wish we were in a position to come back to Canada to say our farewells, but sadly , that’s not possible.
We wish you all good health and happiness at this very sad time.
Best wishes from Rosemarie & Mike James x x x
Dear Nina,
I am deeply saddened to hear of your father’s passing. Losing a father is an indescribable loss, as they are always the big mountains to us, no matter how old we are and where we are. Please accept my heartfelt condolences to you and your family during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Zhen
Dear Sara, Shirley, and family,
Colin unexpectedly passing away was devastating news.
Soon after moving to Kingston, England,from France, I met Colin as a student at Kingston College, where my husband, Dr. Geoffrey R. Parslow, accepted to take Colin under his supervision until he obtained his PhD in the 1970’s. Colin came to work in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1972, and to complete his PhD. Over the years, Colin’s entire family (including his mother, Mary, and his father, Edward) became family. We shared many happy times together (lunches, parties and Christmas morning brunches) and also with many other geology colleagues from all over the world.
I will always be grateful for Colin being kind, compassionate, supportive, attentive, caring, respectful, and his friendship towards me after my husband Geoff (Dr. G. R. Parslow) passed away in May, 2017 leaving me alone in Saskatchewan, far away from my native home.
Colin and I shared a passion for traveling. Unfortunately our travel plans came to an abrupt end on January 5, 2024, when I came to see the Boutchart Gardens Christmas lights, as Colin discovered he had cancer.
Dear Sara, Shirley, Nina, and Kas,
My thoughts are with you and I share your sorrow and sadness. I will miss Colin’s funny emails that made me smile and laugh.
Rest in peace next to God, Cher Colin
Eliane
Dear Sara, Shirley, Nina and Kaz.
Please accept my sincere condolences at the passing of your dear husband, brother, father. Colin was a great friend, full of fun, spirit and generosity who made the most of life. I was lucky to work in the office next to his at the GSC which resulted in our collaboration to improve and expand analytical capabilities for biogeochemical media. We travelled
together to many conferences worldwide, meetings where Colin seemed to know and greet almost everyone, a testament to his vivacious, outgoing and warm personality. Colin was a great listener, with an inquiring mind. He gave the best talks, so well organized and clear, just like his papers. He was THE exploration biogeochemist, without doubt and was recognized as such by the AAG’s Gold Medal award.
I am going to miss him so much – his emails with the best jokes and his phone calls. Thinking of you all…..
Dear Nina and family.
My deepest condolences to you all at this hard time. It is with great sadness to hear of Colin’s passing. I remember him as such an affable friend from our early days at Kingston and then on his many, many trips to Australia. To me, he always appeared to be enjoying life and left happy memories amongst those he met.
Dear Sara, Nina and family.
I was so saddened to learn the Colin had passed away. I first met Colin when I worked as a geochemist for Barringer Research in Toronto during the 1980’s. In 1990 I moved to Victoria with my family and I believe Colin moved to North Saanich about that time where he established himself as a consultant geochemist. Over the past 34 years I’ve had the privilege to work in the field with Colin on several projects, listen to his lectures at conferences and short courses and to join him for many meals with our mutual friends. His knowledge of geo-botany and plant geochemistry was impressive and he never failed to patiently and kindly answer my questions.
He’ll really be missed. My thoughts are with you at this time – Ray Lett
Although I never worked with Colin, our paths crossed many times particularly at IAGS and PDAC. Always cheerful and genuine, his incredibly disarming persona made everybody seek out his company. A legendary geochemist with an incredible legacy….why dig when the plants will dig for you? My heartfelt condolences, he will be sorely missed
Colin has been a steady partner for ALS Geochemistry for many years with many people in our group who have learned from Colin and enjoyed his professionalism and care. As one of the prominent experts in biogeochemistry in our part of the world, he was the one to seek out whenever a special depth of expertise was required.
Colin will be missed on a personal and professional level by everyone in our group. Our sincere condolences to Colin’s family.
Colin was my son’s father-in-law. I always enjoyed his company when I visited.
Colin was a gentleman. I will always remember him. I would like to to offer my sincere condolences to Sara, Shirley and Nina and their families.
Michael Parry.
Dear Sarah,
My sincere condolences to you and all your family on Colin’s passing away. It came as a shock having had positive news from him until quite recently.
Colin and I were privileged to have studied geology together at Kingston Polytechnic in the mid-60s. Apart from field trips across the UK, we made a trip to eastern Turkey together in 1966, so I quickly came to appreciate his good humour, often under trying circumstances.
Having both moved to Canada, it was always a pleasure to meet up with Colin at conventions and exchange notes on our mineral exploration ventures. He leaves a legacy of an exceptional and innovative explorer.
We will all miss his good humour, friendship and his sharing a wealth of experience.
My thoughts are with you.
Bryan Osborne
The mineral exploration industry has lost a major contributor. His legacy will live long. Thanks Colin and vale.
I first met Colin in the early seventies when we were at the Department of Mineral Resources, Saskatchewan, albeit in different branches. I remember in those early years we served on the executive of the Saskatchewan Geological Society, he as president and I as treasurer/ secretary.We socialized by playing squash and then badminton together. When he moved to Ottawa to pursue his interest in biogeochemistry, in which he became a world expert,we still remained in contact through the coordination of federal-provincial geoscience programs.When he retired from the Geological Survey of Canada to move to Vancouver Island we visited from time to time. He was my close friend of 50 years until the end.It was a privilege to know such a talented geologist, cheerful, caring and loving person. My wife and I had the opportunity to visit him in his last days in hospital. He was the same Colin, though very frail after his fight with cancer, but still had his sense of humour. We will miss him. Our thoughts are with his wife Sara and family and his sister Shirley at this difficult time.
As a fellow geochemist our community is now 1 less pioneer who placed vegetation sampling in its rightful place the pantheon of exploration tools. It has been my privilege and delight to have known and worked with Colin since our paths crossed in Nova Scotia in 1986 – I with the local Mines Dept and he with the GSC via Saskatchewan. The tales are far too numerous to recant here since we started with our cooperation on a reconnaissance project in the east of the province that led to many jointly run projects province wide that ran into joint publications and the onerous task of proof reading of his Elsevier textbook.
I will miss our regular phone calls and many encounters at conferences. I guess that now I will have to wait for my bottle of red based on my help in getting him an IMM medal for the paper on the initial survey here. Colin will be sorely missed by all who knew him and I count it as a great gift to have known and worked with him many times.
My friend we never did get to do our intended survey in Colombia for Gold.
Vaya con Dios amigo mio
South Maitland, Nova Scotia, Canada
We are so sad to hear that Colin has passed away and we send our deepest condolences to all the family.
Vicky and John Kaufman
I’m so sad to hear about Colin’s passing. I enjoyed working with Colin and was truly fortunate to know him and call him a friend. His tremendous knowledge and desire to experiment with new thinking and approaches to exploration were gifts that he was readily willing to share. His positive nature and outlook were infectious and greatly appreciated. Please accept my condolences in the loss of a wonderful person who will be missed but never forgotten.
Never a week goes past that I am not intrigued by the name of a plant or possible role in local ecosystem, and wonder what the plant could be sampling from the soil, rock and groundwater below – such is the legacy of Colin, and his role as mentor to myself and many other CRCLEME students from the University of Adelaide. Colin always had time to answer questions, and even more recently helped me via email with some ideas for my role at the Geological Survey of South Australia.
On a personal level, it has been wonderful to read through the messages here and just live precious moments with Colin, through others’ eyes. Colin will be sadly missed.
Speaking on behalf of the Geological Survey of South Australia, Colin has worked with us through CRCLEME projects, and a number of collaborations, including the Regional Biogeochemical Survey of the Eucla Basin, South Australia publication with Helen Waldron. Colin pretty much knew all you needed to know for biogeochemistry, and was also just a great guy all around, and I know I feel it very deeply that we have lost another champion of exploration geochemistry.
On behalf of the Geolgoical Survey of South Australia, I’d like to pass on our condolences to Colin’s family.
Barbara and I were shocked and saddened to learn that Colin had passed away. The news was so unexpected as we had exchanged emails about a month ago. Our thoughts are with Sara, Kas and Nina and their families, and sister Shirley.
I have known Colin for 59 years. I first met him when he was completing his geology degree as a mature student when I joined the staff in the Geology Department of what a little later became Kingston Polytechnic and then Kingston University. I was a co-supervisor of his PhD project on the geochemistry of the Kimmeridge Clay in England, France, and Northern Spain. We had some great times in the field and in local hostelries and restaurants. Soon after he finished his PhD in 1972 Colin published a paper about the identification of sedimentary cycles through Fourier analysis of geochemical data. This paper was ahead of its time and deserved more recognition as it suggested that the Earth’s 40-thousand-year eccentricity cycle could be discerned in his Kimmeridge Clay data. When he moved to Canada, he made his mark in biogeochemical prospecting techniques that other tributes to Colin have admired.
I have fond memories of Colin’s seemingly relaxed approach to life and dry sense of humour and always looked forward to meeting him when visiting him in Regina, Ottawa and Vancouver Island and when he came to the UK. I vividly recall the recalcitrant parrot that shared the flat with Colin and Sara in his Kingston days as well as his passion for driving and maintaining classic Citroen DS cars. I think that at least one these cars made it to Regina and later Ottawa.
It was great to have known you Colin – we will miss you.
Chris Wilson
Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences, The Open University
Dear Shirley, Sara, Nima and Kas – I send you my deepest sympathy to you all in the loss of Colin which will leave a huge gap in your lives. You are in my thoughts at this sad time. Sincerely,
We were very saddened by the passing of our dear friend Colin who we have known for many many years having since our London days and then eventually coming to Canada. He will be greatly missed by us as we used to get together when he came to Vancouver many times in the past. We always enjoyed his good humour and uplifting conversations. Colin was a lot of fun!!
Sending our love and memories are forever…..
Love. Avrille xoxo and Mike
Colin was a great guy and I really enjoyed being in his company. I have many many happy memories of time spent with him, especially the early days, when Colin and my sister lived in a basement flat in Surbiton with a PARROT!
There were times when Colin tried to convert me to become a Citreon owner, which he eventually achieved.
He also spent a lot of time explaining to me the rock formation which makes up Beachy Head in Eastbourne. We covered many varied subjects over a pint or two on many occasions.
I valued his friendship and I am really pleased that he has been part of my life.
Condolences on the death of your dear friend.
I wanted to ask if you are a son of Vernon Odhams and Olga Arnóti? Her brother was killed in WWII in the Netherlands and my father was among them. I have created a page for him on my webpage: https://www.prinsesirenebrigade.nl/arnoti,-r.i.a..html
You can reach me at rdvdvelde@gmail.com
I only had the pleasure to meet Colin once when I was on a short visit to Vancouver, but I kept up with his news and that of his family through his sister Shirley. She lived nearby in London and became a valued friend to me.
My thoughts are with you all.
With much sympathy.
Dear Nina and family. I was so sorry to hear that Colin had passed away. Working briefly with Colin on our biogeochemical work with spinifex in the Tanami Desert will always be a career highlight and a pleasure, heightened by the fact that we were both Kingston alumni. He will be missed by many in the geoscience community. My sincerest condolences to the family.
Ian Hodkinson
This is devastating news, I was dreading this news. Colin (or Kol) was my absolute favorite best friend who I had known for over 70 years. We met at school in 1952, and was Best Man at Pearl and I’s wedding in 1964. He came out to Australia many times, and we would always hang out together, had lunch or dinner.
This is hard to take in, it means I’m the last one left of the intrepid four of Tony Dore, Terry Keats and myself. Oh the memories keep flooding back his love of Citroen cars (including in the front of the house in London (Tooting Towers). I hope that his sister Shirley, and his wonderful family will support Sara in this sad time.
Our love and sympathy go to all the family.
Peter and Pearl in Western Australia
Dear Family:
That is heartbreaking news. Colin was a lovely man who I used to call “Sparkles” because of that twinkle in his eyes.
I will really miss the lunches I used to have with him and Shirley
but I’ll remember them fondly.
My sincere condolences and love to all of you.
Monica
Dear Sara, Kas, Nina, Shirley, and family,
Please accept our deepest condolences on the loss of Colin and know that our hearts, thoughts, and best wishes are with you.
Colin was our colleague, our long-time partner in research, mineral exploration and business, and our friend. Over the years we spent many weeks in the field collecting biogeochem, stream sediment, soil and rock samples and reviewing geology. We had deep discussions and strategy sessions about mineral exploration, biogeochemistry and geology over coffee, lunch, dinner and wine. We camped out in a cabin near the beach at Mabel Lake. We crawled under downed trees on our hands and knees collecting soil samples…for hours. We climbed up mountains and banged on rocks in the sun, rain, sleet, and snow, until we couldn’t.
Colin, we had a really good go of it. Thanks partner. We almost did it.
So very sad to hear that you are gone.
Take care,
Renée Hetherington and Bob Thompson
I am so sorry to hear of Colin’s passing. I only worked with him for a few days 25 years ago when he taught me how to scrape tree bark, but geology is a small world and he would always have time for a laugh and a catch up at conferences. My most sincere condolences, he will be missed.
Dear Sara, Nina and Kaz,
We were deeply saddened to hear about Colin’s passing. He will be greatly missed, not only by yourselves, but also by all those in the geological community who appreciated the enthusiasm he brought to everything he did. We feel privileged to have been friends with him on both a personal and professional level over many years. Our thoughts will be with you all during this difficult time.
Sad news that creates reflection on Colin’s full-life and his generous and infectious spirit as a person and a scientist. Everyday was a school day with Colin discovering new things as part of his shared journey. I will miss his Australian visits and the fun and insights from travelling into the Australian bush and picking plants. Best of peace and care to all of Colin’s friends and family as we come to terms with the loss but also how much he gave.
Dear Sara, Shirley, Nina ad Kas,
It is with huge sadness that I send my condolences to yourselves and the family. I was so lucky to call Colin my friend, since the sixties. Through thick and thin he was always there for me and all his friends, with his wonderful sense of humour and wise counseling. Meeting with Colin was always something to look forward to,he will be missed terribly but at least I have some wonderful memories.
God Bless,
Patricia and Bob
Very sorry to hear this news today. Colin was a very kind man. He spend a lot of time at Queen’s over the years and I always enjoyed my time with him. Colin lived a big life, filled with travel. So sorry for you loss, he will be missed.
Dear Nina and family,
My heartfelt condolences to you all.
I knew Colin since our young years in the YCs in London and we have kept in touch for more than 50 years.
A group of us all moved to Canada in the 70s and 80s and have kept in touch,
My thoughts are with you all.
Christine Wilson
Long time friend london/Vancouver
Colin was such a kind, caring person and an amazing and generaous teacher. He took our little company under his wing and helped us run our first succesful biogeochemistry program. He went out of his way to meet with us and show us his lab and his techniques. I’m going to miss his enthusiasm and humour! I am so sorry to hear this and can only imagine how hard this is for his family. He will be truly missed and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have gotten to know him.
Such very sad news and we know he will be so much missed by his fsmily and so many friends and work collesgues
With much sympathy to you all, Terry & Molly.
My deepest condoelnces. I always enjoyed talking to Colin about life and geology and working with him in the field.
Dear Sara, Nina & Family:
I’m so sorry to hear that Colin
passed away. Enjoying his company in Sidney BC and the thoughtful, chirpy emails he exchanged with me until quite recently will be greatly missed. Please accept my sincere condolences. James
Dear Sara,
I was so sorry to get word from Colin about his condition. My condolences to you and the family.
Doug Paterson.
Dr. Dunn was so kind to provide me with biogeochemiatry standard samples, no charge. His work and support was tremendous when tackling a scary unknown topic in the Guianas. Rest in peace legend.
Dear Nina , Sara, Shirley, Kas.
A few weeks ago, Colin and I were still jointly working up exploration plays in South BC at Mabel Lake West and Kunnum Creek, VI. How quickly did things change?
A great sadness indeed to lose our oldest friend. We were all at college together in the mid and late 1960s studying for our geology degrees and post graduate research after. We have stayed close friends for 59 years and looked forward to Colin’s annual visits to see us in London.
Our heart felt condolence to Sara, Shirley and the whole family. We wish you the strength you need to deal with this loss, and we shall miss you Colin.
Ali and Jenny xx.
Heartfelt Condolences to Colin’s family and sister Shirley.
I will miss his emails, always providing smiles and laughs
Deepest Sympathy
David Metcalf
So sad – the passing of our lovely cousin. We will miss his humour, his intelligence and we have lost a valued and talented member of the scientific community as well as a lovely member of the Burbidge clan! A life well lived. Our condolences to his nearest and dearest, with love from Kuzes Linda and Valerie xxxx
To Colin’s family
I am so sorry for your loss of a lovely man. We only met a few times but his warmth and humour struck a chord. He will be very much missed.
I was fortunate to get to work with Colin while a researcher at GNS Science in New Zealand. He was a wealth of information on biogeochemistry and shared openly with those who were new to the field. He was a treasured resource. My condolences to his friends and family.
Patti
Very sad to hear that Colin had passed away. Please accept my condolences for your loss. Colin has made enormous contribution to the field of biogeochemistry applied to mineral exploration. His legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of those he impacted.
My condolences to Colin’s family.
Colin was a legend and I was honoured to know him and work with him off and on. I will always value the knowledge and wisdom he showed to many including myself over the years.
Sincerely
Nathan Reid
My condolences to Colin’s family.
I have fond memories of many field trips with Colin in the Australian bush and elsewhere. He did much to promote the use of biogeochemistry in exploration in Australia and the rest of the world.
His knowledge and generosity in helping with many projects will be greatly missed.
Sincerely,
Helen Waldron
Dear Nina and family,
I would like to express my deepest sympathies and offer my heartfelt condolences. Colin’s passing is a great loss to the scientific community and beyond. He made significant contributions as a world leader in biogeochemical applications to mineral exploration, and his research findings continue to have a global impact. Colin’s pioneering work in his field has left an indelible mark, and his absence will be deeply felt.
With sincere condolences,
Dr. Danish Khan
Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)
Please accept my condolences for your loss. Colin was a valued member of the applied geochemistry community. I will always value his wisdom and the time he took to talk with people about biogeochemistry and many related topics.
Sincerely,
Ryan Noble
Dear Nina and family: Please accept our deepest sympathies for your loss. It was a privilege to work with Colin, a towering figure in geochemistry. Colin always made time for his visitors from down under and it was a pleasure to catch up with him during his frequent visits to Oz. He will be missed and remembered.
Sincerely,
Matt Cornelius & Chris Ringrose
Dear Nina
This is such sad news. Colin was a friend with whom I had very many enjoyable coffee meetings and ‘dog walks’ over the past 18 years.
His enthusiasm for his science was wonderful as was his belief in ‘open source’ for his work.
My wife, Sue and I will greatly miss him.
Dear Sara, Nina & Kaz,
I was so sad to hear that Colin had passed away. My heartfelt condolences to all the family.
I shall remember Colin for the simplest of things, like his never-ending supply of funny emails, which would result in a smile on even the dullest day.
Goodbye my dear friend. I shall miss you,
With love,
Beverley Dore
Dear Nina.
So sad to hear today that Colin had passed away and glad you had that last short time with him in the hospital garden this week. Being cousins in a close family I have wonderful childhood memories spent in Kingston, Tooting and Leigh on Sea with him and Shirley. I will never forget those happy times. Much love to all the family.
Dear Nina and Family
Please accept my sincere condolences. I first meet Colin when I lived in Saskatchewan and we interacted scientifically for more than 40 years. What a sad time. Colin’s contribution to geology and mineral exploration will live on through his publications and connections. He was a pioneer in his field and will be sadly missed.
My thoughts are with you.
Emeritus Professor Ken Collerson
my heart is heavy and aching knowing that my gorgeous cousin Colin has gone. He has been part of my life forever from our earliest childhood days in London. A special, lovely person – we are all the better for having known him.
Much love and thoughts to all the family.
Dear Nina and family: Colin was a world leader in biogeochemical applications to mineral exploration. His research findings are applied world-wide. He was a wonderful colleague during our time together at GSC, and we enjoyed several coffee sessions when we visited Sidney.
He is missed.
Jim Franklin
Dear Nina and family:
My sincere condolences.
I have fond memories of many discussions with Colin during his time at PGC. A true scientist and a gentleman.
Garry Rogers
Dear Sara, Nina, Kaz and family. We send all of you our heartfelt condolences and sympathy for your loss. Colin was truly an exceptional geochemist. During our years of collaboration and friendship it was always a pleasure and inspiration to share time with such a great gentleman scholar. He was the quintessential field scientist, never complained, full of ideas and perpetual energy. Sharing quiet time with Colin over drinks and dinner are priceless memories of his exceptional character. We are so sorry for your loss. The Canadian geoscience community owes Colin their gratitude for his many contributions. He leaves behind a large gap in many ways.
Respectfully with lots of love!
Peter and Theresa Bobrowsky
Nina (and family),
Thinking of you during this difficult time. Your father sounds like an amazing person.
Sending warm thoughts your way,
Karen
Nina, I’m very sorry for your loss.
What an amazing career your father had – you must be so proud. All the best to you and your family at this sad time.
Take care,
Melanie
Dear Nina,
I’m sad to hear of your father’s passing and we just recently had a conversation of your father work at the GSC with his dedication to his science in that he would get tree top clippings to get samples for his geochemistry work by hanging off a helicopter. Indeed, it was great to see him in person at our Christmas party one more time. My thoughts are with you.
Sincerely,
Kaz Shimamura
Dear Nina and family,
Please accept my heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Geological Survey of Canada, Pacific Division.
Colin was a distinguished member of our GSC family and his contributions have left an indelible mark on our organization.
During this difficult time, may you find comfort in the cherished memories you shared and in the knowledge that his legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Please know that our thoughts are with you.
With deepest sympathy,
Jennifer Vollrath
A/Director, GSC-Pacific