News

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, I learned the sad news that the Rev. Dr. John Sandys-Wunsch died on Tuesday, September 29. John was Provost of Thorneloe University from 1982-1991. During that time, he was an honorary assistant at the Church of the Epiphany. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Sacred Letters (D.S.Litt.) from Thorneloe University in 1991. His wife Sheila was made a Fellow of Thorneloe University in 1993.

At John’s inaugural address to Convocation as Provost in 1982, he spoke on “The Care and Feeding of the Humanities in a Cold Climate.” In this address, he argued that the Humanities “are in no way a training for any profession but rather a training to think, learn and express oneself clearly.” John’s passion for the liberal arts continued throughout his tenure at Thorneloe, and its impact is still prominent today, continuing to guide our academic mission and work.

After his time at Thorneloe ended in 1991, John and Sheila settled in Victoria, BC. During that time, John remained an active member of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, an academic society where I first encountered John.

John and Sheila attended Thorneloe’s Convocation last October, where I had the pleasure of chatting with John, along with former President and Provost, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews.

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews, The Rev. Dr. Robert Derrenbacker, The Rev. Dr. John Sandys-Wunsch (October 2014)

Funeral arrangements and an obituary have not yet been released. Please keep John’s wife Sheila and their family in your thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,
Bob Derrenbacker
President, Provost and Vice-Chancellor
Thorneloe University