April 30, 1921 – July 29, 2014
The family of Lloyd Stephens-Newsham are saddened to announce his passing at the age of 93. He was an academic, photographer, traveller and teller of stories as well as committed to “puttering around” in his home, lab and workshop.
Lloyd was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the first of six children of George Arthur Newsham and Hannah Jane Stephens. From his mother he inherited a love of all things Welsh. He spent his childhood on the farm near Saskatoon and his high school and university years in Saskatoon, earning a BA in physics. After service in the Canadian Army he obtained his PhD in physics from McGill University in Montreal. Thus began a lifetime of interest in medical physics.
In Montreal he met the charming Lois Rae Brown and they were married in 1950. Daughters Joan (1954) and Helen (1957) were born in Montreal.
Lloyd moved with his family to Edmonton in 1966 and taught at the University of Alberta until his retirement in 1986. While there he brought the SLOWPOKE reactor to the University and went to England on sabbatical twice, to Cambridge and the University of Surrey.
Lloyd and Lois retired to Victoria in 1990, where they were involved in the Canadian Club, the Welsh Society, extensive travelling and many activities with friends and family. Lloyd and Lois were active long time members of the United Church.
Lloyd leaves his daughters Helen (Steve Jones) and Joan Johnston, Bob Johnston, sisters Kathleen Swalm, Margaret Fredeen, and Gwendolyn Newsham, sisters-in-law June Newsham and Pearl Newsham, grandchildren Daniel, Kevin and Averil Johnston and Katheryn, Lucy and Victoria Jones. He was predeceased by Lois, his wife of nearly 60 years, brothers David and Ifor, and brothers-in-law Reece Swalm and Hartley Fredeen.
Memorial service on Friday, August 8th at 2:30 at Cordova Bay United Church, 813 Claremont Avenue. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Medecins Sans Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders, 720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 402, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2T9.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Bros. Funeral Directors
www.mccallbros.com
17 Responses
The members of Chapter AI P.E.O.Sisterhood send our sympathy to the Newsham family. Lloyd was a wonderful support to Lois in all her P.E.O. endeavours and we enjoyed having visits with them very much. They gave us some interesting programmes on their travels and living abroad.
Our thoughts are with you at this time.
With thanksgiving for Lloyd’s life.
The members of Chapter AI
Lloyd was one of natures gentlemen, he was kind, energetic and of good humour. Lloyd and Lois will be sadly missed by all their friends and family, they were both non judgemental, out going and friendly people, a joy to know. They welcomed Steve into their family and made the effort to visit us (Steve’s family in Wales), when Helen and Steve first became engaged, a friendly gesture which we appreciated. Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time. Lily Jones and family
Joan & Helen & families: I had the great good fortune to meet your delightful parents when they joined the Canadian Club of Victoria. Your father was indeed a teller of tales which I remember fondly. As I do when you two emceed the Golden Anniversary Party for :”Bubbles & the Doc”! I extend you all my deepest sympathy. Under the circumstances, my donation in his memory will be to The Canadian Club of Victoria’s Bursary Fund administered by the Camosun College Foundation.
Dear Joan, Helen and families,
Very sorry to hear of Uncle Lloyd’s passing. I’ve proudly carried his name as my middle name and will always remember him fondly.
Dear Joan, Helen and the entire family, what a moving tribute to Lloyd in today’s Times Colonist. Our own friendship with Lois and Lloyd goes back many years, to the days when we attended Gordon Head United Church with them. It was such a privilege to come to know Lois and Lloyd well, and to share fellowship with so many mutual friends. We will always remember Lloyd as someone of tremendous modesty. In everyday conversation one would never know his sterling academic or career achievements. He treated each and every person with respect and good humour. Indeed his quietly pleasant demeanour and constant good spirits were aspects of his character that we came to cherish and will remember most.
We know this is a great loss to your whole family. We would have loved to be at the funeral, but by odd coincidence that very afternoon we are having an event for our 60th wedding anniversary at the University Club. But we are thinking of you all and will be remembering Lloyd in our thoughts and prayers. Love, Pat and David
Joy, Helen and Steve and families – please accept our condolences. Uncle Lloyd was part of our lives for a long time! He had a brilliant mind and a wide range of interests in addition to his professional academic pursuits.
We are all thinking of you.
Shirley and family
Lloyd was a great friend and mentor and I have missed him since he retired from the University of Alberta and much more keenly now. My condolences to Lloyds family who have suffered a great loss.
On behalf of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, please accept our condolences on your loss. Dr. Newsham was certainly a major contributor to the growth and success of the Faculty and the University.
Lloyd was a great colleague and dear friend during our days together at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Pharmacy and as a fellow operator of the SLOWPOKE nuclear reactor. He was one of those rare breeds – a “gentleman” scientist with a keen insight into human nature.
My condolences to the family.
Steve McQuarrie
We have lost a friend and colleague. Lloyd and Lois were open, friendly and down to earth. In addition to all of those ‘work’ things, we were particularly appreciative of Lloyd’s sense of humor, his fine stories, and his appreciation of the nuances of human interaction in both the scientific and every-day world. We offer our sincere condolences to the family.