by Jonathan Jucker
The community of Brentwood is closely tied with the University of Calgary, and many of its residents are students, administrators (like me), or faculty (like my wife). Don Ray, who passed away on October 11, 2025, at the age of 76, was a well-loved and vital part of both these communities, and I was lucky to be his neighbour for several years. An emeritus professor of political science, Don was also a family man, mentor, and activist, who made a positive mark on people in every area of his life.
It was not until I attended the crowded memorial service for Don that I learned of his fascinating and unconventional upbringing: born in Manchester, England and raised in Calgary, his parents were vaudevillians who travelled the world putting on a “Wild West” show. It wasn’t long before young Don joined the family act as “Billy the Kid”, and he quickly became an expert at lasso tricks, a skill he retained even after he turned to academia.
After finishing his Ph.D. at the University of Toronto, he joined the Political Science department at U of C and taught African Politics for 37 years, until his retirement in 2015. His former colleague Susan Franceschet says: “Don was such a lovely colleague to learn from. He was always supportive, especially to new people in the department. I was always impressed by how committed he was to his students.”
One such student is Benjamin Adu Gyamfi, now a sessional instructor at U of C. “Dr. Ray was not only my doctoral supervisor but also an exceptional mentor and a friend whose guidance shaped not only my academic journey but also my approach to critical thinking and research… Dr. Ray’s wisdom, kindness, and unparalleled expertise in and enduring passion for African politics, particularly Ghanaian politics and chieftaincy studies left a lasting impact on me and on so many others. He will be deeply missed. I will always be grateful for his encouragement and the confidence he instilled in me throughout my doctoral studies.”
Don was also an outspoken advocate against the injustices he saw in the world and was a prominent voice against apartheid in South Africa, and on behalf of Palestinians. His former student and fellow activist with the group Justice for Palestinians Calgary, Rineem Saleh says: “Dr. Ray was truly a one-of-a-kind professor. He knew how to make you feel seen and helped instill the confidence in us to fight for what was right. As a longtime ally and activist, he helped us continue this passion beyond our studies and in his commitment to community organizing. He will be deeply missed.”
His activism also encompassed local politics, and he was a long-time chair of the Calgary-Varsity NDP policy committee. At his memorial, MLA Luanne Metz paid moving tribute to his work and vision for our community and Alberta as a whole. He was also a regular sight volunteering at Brentwood community events, easily spotted in his trademark Tilley hat!
He is survived by three adult children, seven grandchildren, and his wife Rosemary Brown. Bugle readers know Rosemary well as the regular contributor of “Off the Bookshelf” reviews of books by and about Indigenous writers.
On a personal note, on every occasion that I spoke with Don, I was always impressed by his air of optimism and good humour, even though he understood better than many the injustice and trouble in our own society and around the world. He and Rosemary were wonderful and kind neighbours, and my family missed having them two doors down after we moved a few years ago. We feel deeply the even greater loss of this talented, thoughtful, and compassionate man.
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