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Welcome to The Magee Centennial Celebration website. 
Hi, I'm John Tanton '59, Chair, The Magee 2014 Centennial Celebration Committee.
In 2014, Magee Secondary School will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of its founding.
To celebrate the success and excellence achieved by Magee students, teachers, staff, parents, administrators, and community over the years, we are planning a Centennial Celebration for Friday May 23rd and Saturday May 24th 2014.
Act now to reserve the dates, to register and purchase your Passport (refer "Registration and Tickets" page), and to join in the celebrations. The balance of the long Memorial Day (USA) weekend is a great opportunity to continue on and re-connect with friends and classmates.
Centennial Celebrations will have three venues.
On Friday evening at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, there will be a foyer Reception followed by Gala Show in the theatre with audio, video, live entertainment, and personal appearances. Patrick Roberge '82, a Magee alumnus, will direct the theatre show. Patrick is President and Creative Director of PRP Inc. You have all experienced his work. How you ask? Explore his skills and experience atPRP Website
On Saturday in Kerrisdale, there will be a Pancake Breakfast and Street Concert in the morning, a Beer Garden and in the afternoon, and red carpet welcomes from merchants and community organizations throughout the day.
On Saturday at Magee Secondary there will be an Open House from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Activities will include tours of the new school, decade rooms, club and art displays, live music and performances, a photo station, memorabilia and hoards of archived material, food and refreshments, etc. There will be a Welcome Ceremony from 1:00 - 1:30. A new Centennial Memoir Book is included in your Passport (Ticket) and will be available for pickup. The Memoir Book will also be on sale with other Souvenirs. In the evening from 7:00 to 9:00 PM there will be a Closing Cabaret featuring the Magee Jazz Band, guest musicians, and a Birthday Cake.
Centennial Celebrations will revolve about the theme "Success and Excellence" achieved over the past 100 years by Magee students, alumni, teachers and administrators, parents and families, and the community.
Here is a Quick Reference Guide for all Events, Locations, and Costs which you can print and take with you:Quick Reference Guide for all Events, Locations, and Costs
Additional details are outlined in the Newsletters posted on our "Newsletters and Current Events" page and on our "Share Your Memories" page.
As plans evolve, we will keep you informed through various means including this website, email newsletters, and our Facebook Page "Magee Turns 100". Stay tuned as our website expands. Subscribe today to our email newsletters. "Like" our Facebook Page.
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Email Address
Magee 2014 Centennial Celebration Steering Committee may be contaceted at webteam@mageecentennial.ca
Magee Secondary School Website.
Explore current school activities and plans at Magee Website
Magee 2014 Centennial Celebration Steering Committee.
Current (April 2013) members of the Magee 2014 Centennial Celebration Steering Committee are:
(Click to open/close bios of highlighted members ... scroll down.)
Frank Anfield '57, Marketing and Publicity
Following graduation from Magee in 1957, Frank took his B. Comm (Marketing)
at UBC and his MBA at SFU. Following stints at Procter & Gamble and Nabob
Foods, Frank spent more than twenty years with McKim Advertising in
Vancouver and Toronto as manager, owner, Executive Committee member, EVP and
Chief Operating Officer.
In early 1990, Frank was recruited as President & CEO of Young & Rubicam
Advertising Canada. He was also named President of Y&R's Group of Canadian
companies.
Less than two years later Frank relocated to New York City when he was
appointed President & CEO of Y&R Advertising New York, the Company's
flagship office.
In mid-1994, Frank was appointed President & CEO of the Y&R Inc. Special
Communications Group - with responsibility for four of the parent company's
seven companies.
Throughout his time in New York, Frank served Y&R Inc. the parent company as
a Director, Executive Committee member, Partnership Board member, and a
member of the President's Client Council.
Frank retired as Vice Chairman of Y&R Inc. in Fall 1998, concluding a
thirty six year career in the marketing and advertising business.
Throughout his career, Frank has been actively involved in community,
industry, church and university affairs. He is a member of the University
Club of New York, The Vancouver Club, Capilano G&CC, West Vancouver, and
Desert Highlands, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Frank is a Fellow of the Institute of Communications Agencies (F.I.C.A.), a
Director Emeritus of the Bill Reid Foundation, and a Director of St. Paul's
Hospital Foundation. Together with his wife Marilyn (nee Graham, Magee '59),
Frank spends most of his time between Vancouver and Scottsdale , although
they travel extensively and enjoy frequent visits to Toronto and New York.
Tom Dinsley '59, Legal
Tom received his undergraduate degree in Commerce from Indiana University in 1964 and his LLB from the University of British Columbia in 1969 and was called to the Bar in 1970. Tom has practiced in the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows area since 1972 and his practice as a Trial Lawyer is focused on ICBC Personal Injury claims. He has been a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC since its inception. Tom is also a qualified mediator.
As a Diver, Tom represented Canada in the 1964 Olympic Games and the Empire and Commonwealth Games. He won a Gold Medal for Canada at the Pan American Games in Brazil. In 1980 he was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame. Since then he has coached divers locally and nationally and been a coach at UBC. In 1997 he was inducted into the Ridge-Meadows Hall of Fame.
Tom has also been a member of the Board of Governors of Meadowridge Independent School. He has been a member of a number of Mayoral committees and a member of the Maple Ridge Fields for Kids Committee. He is the Senior Independent Chairman in BC for the Federal Penitentiary Service.
Tom is married and his daughter Sarah is a legal assistant with a law firm in Vancouver and his son Sean is a lawyer in Melbourne, Australia.
Bob Fitzpatrick, Britannia Teacher, Special Advisor
Bob Fitzpatrick is a teacher at Britannia Secondary and was a key organizer of that school's Centennial Celebration in 2008. Given his experience at Britannia, Bob is acting as a Special Advisor and has provided valuable advice to the Magee 2014 Centennial Celebration Steering Committee.
Bill Harvey '59, Fund Development and KBA Liaison
After graduating from Magee in ’59, Bill took his B. Comm. (Marketing) at UBC, and enjoyed careers in the materials handling and social profit sectors, retiring from PAL Vancouver in September of 2011. Bill and his wife Ellen live in West Vancouver where they have raised their two daughters
Bill has chaired all Class of ’59 reunion events since 1984, and the event to open the “New Magee” on July 1, 2000.
Bill devotes his spare time to the West Vancouver Community Foundation, where he has been a Director since 2006 and has developed and implemented five, annual senior’s health forums. He chairs the Marketing Committee.
In 2009, along with Magee classmate Brooke Campbell, Bill established the Magee All Grads Matching Endowment Fund (MAGMEF) at Vancouver Foundation, to match funding by Magee students that benefits the wider community. Major
support for this initiative has also been provided by Lois (Large) Matthews, Bob Koo and John Postle - all from the class of '59.
In 2010 he co-founded the PALs Chorus, a performance-based 55-plus choral group based at Vancouver’s Performing Arts Lodge (PAL Vancouver) that has recently performed for Mayor Robertson’s “Spring Fling” and the opening of SFU’s new Dialogue Centre in the Woodward’s Building. He serves as president of that group.
Along with 6 other Magee grads, Bill is also a proud member of the West Van Fit Fellas.
Colin Holyk '83, Kerrisdale Business Association (KBA) Representative
Colin was born and raised in Alberta and grew up in the pharmacy business. His father, Michael, owned a pharmacy in Westlock, Alberta and Colin spent most days after school working in the store.
The Holyk family moved to Vancouver in 1982, one year after Michael purchased the original Kerrisdale Pharmacy, located in the 2100 block of West 41st Avenue. Colin continued to work as a pharmacy technician at the pharmacy throughout his school years. He attended the University of British Columbia and received his pharmacy degree in 1990 and in June 1990 started work at Kerrisdale Pharmacy as a pharmacist. Michael and Colin decided to move the pharmacy in February of 1997 to its current location on West Boulevard and 40th Avenue. Colin became the Pharmacy Manager in 2000 and one year later purchased Hollyburn Pharmacy in West Vancouver with Michael Holyk.
In addition to his regular pharmacist duties, Colin is actively involved in the pharmaceutical care of nursing home residents in Vancouver, and is a prescription compounding specialist, and is a certified compression stocking fitter.
Colin is the current President of the Kerrisdale Business Association.
Marea Jensen, Magee Principal
Wally Lee, Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) Representative
Wally is Co-Chair of Magee’s 2012-2013 Parent Advisory Committee (PAC). He has been involved with PAC for three years, two as a Member and the past year as Secretary.
Wally and his wife Iris have a son, Preston, who will graduate from Magee in 2014, Magee’s Centennial year. As parents of a Magee student, they are active in all aspects of his life. They support Preston by volunteering in Magee Music Society annual activities such as Market Fair and Poinsettia sales.
In 2011-2012, Wally assisted the Environment Club sponsor teacher and students in the construction of a cedar storage shed outside the music room. In each of the past three years, he has been involved with the Teacher Appreciation breakfast (February) and lunch (June).
Wally helped out with 2012 graduation preparations and was honoured to be part of the Magee School Platform Party and to present PAC Scholarships to student recipients.
Wally may be contacted by email at wiplee.du@gmail.com .
Ron MacKenzie '59, Budget and Administration
 After several fun filled years following graduation, including living briefly in Los Angeles (during the Cuban Missile Crisis), Ron received his B. Comm. (Accounting.) from UBC. He then articled with Clarkson & Gordon (now, Ernst & Young) to get his CA.
After two very interesting jobs as CFOs in industry, he started his own CA practice in 1976. It has been restricted to dentists ever since. Ron has spoken at national, provincial and regional conferences, and has written many columns and articles in professional dental journals. He is still going strong ... (at least, he thinks so).
Apart from decades of squash, as well as hiking and biking, Ron’s passion is sailing. He has raced over 10,000 miles offshore, either as the Skipper or Watch Captain, including two Victoria-Maui races (1984 and 2004), LA-Puerto Vallarta, Pan Am Clipper Cup Series-Honolulu (CDN Team), and, every offshore racer’s Everest, 2006/2007 Sydney (Australia) to Hobart (Tasmania). It is the benchmark. In 1998, a storm (the locals call it a Southerly Buster, coming from Antarctica) swept the fleet during the first night, and 8 people died and 15 boats sank. These were the world's best racers and boats. During Ron’s first night, a similar storm developed, one boat sank and two maxi-yachts lost their masts. One of them, ABN Ambro, had just won the Volvo Ocean Race (a crewed around the world race; ex-Whitbread).
Sailing is Ron’s passion, and he loves it. He and partner Joan cruise their 37' sailboat during most of July and August each year, and Ron races her (Future Primitive) the other 10 months.
Ron and Joan presently live 2 blocks from Magee, and Ron bikes to work, passing the old school (grounds, at least), twice a day.
Ron is excited to be part of this project ... “It will be great!”
Joan McDiarmid '60, Secretary
Joan grew up in Kerrisdale attending Maple Grove, Point Grey and Magee (class of '60).
She obtained her Bachelor of Education Degree from UBC (class of '64) and many years later, completed her fifth year from Simon Fraser University.
She taught school in both Vancouver and Delta School Districts. Her teaching career spanned thirty years, her specialty being children in the primary grades.
Since retiring, Joan teaches ESL each summer. She also keeps busy as a member of the Knitting Sisters (a group that knits for cancer patients), enjoying her many volunteer projects, going to the theatre, golfing and especially babysitting her grandchildren.
Joan met her husband David at UBC and was married for 47 years. They lived and raised their son and daughter in Tsawassen, where she continues to live following David’s passing in 2012.
Joan is enjoying being the secretary for the Magee 2014 Centennial Celebration and working to make it an enjoyable experience for all Magee alumni.
Barry Rhoades '59, Information & Technology
Barry was born in Calgary and moved with his family to Vancouver in 1955. He graduated from Magee in 1959 and obtained his BA (Math and Psychology) at UBC.
For the next 42 years, he worked in Vancouver in various Commercial Lending positions (numbers and people) with BMO Bank of Montreal. After his first wife passed in 1997, Barry remarried and is now retired in South Surrey with wife Alanna.
Barry’s interests include music (piano), golf, travel, and gardening. In addition, he strives to learn something new each day and is ever amazed at the workings and evolution of computers and our digital world.
“Carpe Diem, the glass is half full!”
Patrick Roberge '82, Event Development and Management
As President and Creative Director of PRP Inc. and a Magee Grad of ’82, Patrick is a respected member of the community and an internationally recognized producer of live entertainment and spectacular events. Currently residing in the Kerrisdale area with his wife Sandra and two children, Patrick is a proud Vancouverite.
Over the past twenty five years Patrick’s entertainment experience has included projects with numerous corporations including The Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios and Legoland Theme Parks.
Selected highlights of his extensive resume include Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Royal Jubilee visit to Vancouver; the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Emblem and Mascot launches; the 2007 and 2011 Canada Winter Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies; the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies; and numerous Grey Cup Half-Time shows including the upcoming 100th Anniversary Grey Cup celebration.
In addition to these large-scale public spectacles he has produced countless national and international corporate, cultural and protocol events.
Eric Schieman, Retired Magee Principal, Fundraising Liaison
Eric received his BA from the U of Manitoba, his BEd from UBC, and his MA in Administration from the University of Western Washington in 1972. His career as an educator for over 35 years with the VSB included being a teacher, department head and an administrator in five schools, as well as a three year assignment with the Canadian Forces in Germany.
After retiring in 2001, he joined the Teacher Training department at UBC as a Faculty Advisor for several years. At present, he is working with Doug Sturrock to research and write "Magee Memoirs", a history of Magee since 1989, which is being produced for the school's Centennial Celebrations.
In the words of Magee PAC 2001, "Mr. Schieman was our Principal (1995-2001) during demolition of the old school and the relocation, construction and completion of the new Magee on July 1, 2000. He provided energetic leadership and guidance during the demanding years of building, and will always be remembered as our inaugural Principal. His enthusiastic support throughout the building process will not be forgotten".
Doug Sturrock, Retired Magee Teacher, Historical
In 1998 Doug retired from Magee Secondary School where he was Physical Education Department Head. His teaching career spanned 33 years and he coached at the school level 40 years.
Doug is the chair of Magee Centennial Celebration’s History Sub-Committee that is preparing a Memoir of Magee from 1989 to 2014.
Doug is a past president of the Vancouver Secondary Schools Athletic Association, the Vancouver and District Inter-High School Athletic Association, and the BC Secondary Schools Rugby Union. He is a past vice-president of Rugby Canada and is currently on the organizing committee for both the BCSSRU 7’s and 15’s championships.
With co-author Tom Keast, Doug has written Once a Mermaid: the Meraloma Club 1923-1998. As well, his daunting task of researching and writing a history of rugby in Canada is nearing completion.
John Tanton '59, Chair
John was born in Prince Edward Island on February 14, 1941 in the town of O’Leary (pop. 8). He was delivered by his father who happened to be the family physician for the area. When he was five the family moved to Montreal while his father took advanced studies in medicine. After this the family, consisting of his father, mother and an older sister, moved to Vancouver.
John started school at Prince of Wales, in grade four moved to Quilchena, in grade seven to Point Grey, and then of course to our famous alma mater, Magee, for grades ten through twelve, graduating in 1959.
Looking back at his days at Magee he enjoyed immensely working with Mr. Davies, a Phys. Ed. teacher and played rugby in grades 10, 11 and 12. His favorite teachers were Mr. Poole who tried to teach John Latin for three years, and the math teacher, Mr. Ginther.
In 1959 John went to the University of British Columbia and earned a degree in Biochemistry and Physiology. While at UBC he joined the wrestling squad and played rugby. After graduating he was hired by Atomic Energy of Canada as a Research Scientist studying the effects of radiation. He then joined one of Johnson & Johnson’s companies and became General Manager for Western Canada. Restless, he then co-founded a company in 1970 with Magee classmate Kyle Mitchell, and it subsequently became the largest executive search firm in Canada. After 40 years John retired as Chair of the Board in Odgers Berndtson in Vancouver.
During this period of time he was also very active in many community organizations including serving as Chair of the Campaign Cabinet for the United Way of the Lower Mainland in 2002. He has also been active with the capital campaigns of UBC, YMCA, Vancouver Aquarium and the Stanley Theatre. In addition, John has been a Board member for Lions Gate Hospital, United Way, Vancouver Board of Trade, Sales & Marketing Executives of Vancouver, and member of the BCIT Development Council. Most recently John was Chair of the 2006 Celebrity Breakfast for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon.
Joy (Fraser) Yorath '60, Grad and Staff Liaison
Joy graduated from Magee in 1960 and obtained her BA and BEd from UBC where she became a Faculty Advisor, teaching Adolescent Psychology and teaching methods in the Faculty of Education.
She became a seasoned fund raiser, raising millions of dollars and the profile of each organization assisted. She was an instigator of events such as the YWCA’s Women of Distinction dinner, Endeavour Society Auctions, and CNIB’s Walter Gretzky Golf Classic in Victoria.
Joy was elected to the Management Committee of the BC Breast Cancer Research Initiative (National Committee) and served as advisor to the board of the Canadian Institute of Health Research (Cancer Institute).
She was a proud member of the Abreast in a Boat dragon boat team that won the world championship in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2004.
Joy is widowed with two children and three grandsons.
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