Donovan Waters passed away on September 9, 2023 in Ottawa, Canada, at the age of 95 after a long life of personal happiness and professional fulfilment. Donovan was born in Brighton, England and studied law at Oxford University and the University of London. He pursued a career as a professor of law and a legal scholar at universities in England and Canada, including McGill University and the University of Victoria. After retirement as emeritus professor, he practiced law for over two decades as counsel for law firms in Vancouver and Victoria. He combined great scholarship with a love and flair for teaching, garnering a devoted contingent of students over the years who still remember his lectures and laugh at his jokes.
Donovan’s legacy as a legal scholar remains in the many articles and books he authored, in particular his landmark book The Law of Trusts in Canada. First published in 1974, it has subsequently seen four further editions (the last three with co-authors) and has been read, consulted and cited by students, legal practitioners and judges across Canada. In addition, it raised Canada’s profile as an important jurisdiction in trusts law and made Donovan a recognized international expert. Donovan’s academic achievement was recognized with two honorary doctorates and a DCL from Oxford University, as well as a lifetime achievement award from STEP International.
Donovan had a very happy family life, married for 57 years to his late beloved wife Maryla. He is survived by their three children, Catherine, Anne-Marie and Alastair, and their four much-loved grandchildren, Jonah, Alex, Benjy and Claire. He was a loving, gentle and generous father and grandfather, who could talk to his family about esoteric subjects and then burst into song. He and Maryla had a rich life of travel, the arts, family, and a great number of wonderful friends in Victoria, across Canada, England and all around the world.
Although Donovan’s family and friends mourn his passing, we celebrate his long and happy life and his legacy of love, friendship and scholarship.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, November 10, 2023 at McCall Gardens, 4665 Falaise Drive, Victoria BC. For those unable to attend in person, the zoom link is below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82493292954?pwd=GMdjaKFWVQHpcUbpzCv00QJ2DT27Z3.1
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
-
Dulcie McCallum
-
Daphne Goode What a gentleman and a fascinating person Donovan was and how I appreciated knowing him. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. I met Donovan through Maryla and they were both very inspirational in my life. I very much admired their devotion to one another. Maryla and I were involved in many shared pursuits in the artistic community, and always, by her side, was Donovan, who I enjoyed conversing with at numerous arts events and awards dinners.
Donovan’s intellect was extremely impressive. While we covered a wide variety of subjects he was quick to tell me about everyone in the family and how they were doing..obviously a very proud father and grandfather! Rest in peace, dear Donovan.
Professor Donovan Waters
I write to celebrate the life and legacy of your beloved father and grandfather; what a gift he must have been to you all, as he was to his longtime love Maryla. I am just one of the hundreds upon hundreds of law students who shared in your gift because I had the good fortune to be taught by Donovan at the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria during his tenure as a professor. I count myself among his many devotees who always laughed at his jokes: when he made those of us suffering through the rigours of law school, smile.
But it turns out he was much more than an expert in trusts law or an exemplary teacher to me. A longstanding multitasker, I chose to be pregnant during third year law school. My daughter was born on the first day of spring break, leaving me one week to get organized and back to classes. On the first day back, lo and behold, who appeared in the student lounge, rarely the site for faculty members. I was sitting next to baby Juel who was lying on a blanket on the couch. Walking towards us with his lunch tray in tow, Donovan promptly sat down on the other side next to baby Juel with his soup and sandwich on his lap and began to chat. Not with me, oh no, Donovan was having a very earnest discussion with Juel, virtually ignoring me. It was clear she was listening intently to every word he softly spoke to her as he sipped his soup and ate his sandwich. This went on until Donovan finished his lunch, at which point he bid her farewell and left. But this was not a one off. Donovan repeated the pattern seeking out baby Juel at least once a week in the student lounge at lunch time for the remainder of that final semester.
This memory has stuck with me all these years, a memory I reminded him of the last time I saw him at the Beacon Drive-in in Victoria. I spoke to him on that occasion to extend my condolences for the recent loss of his devoted and cherished wife Maryla. I went on to thank him for the deep respect he showed when he chose the simple, but standout act of having lunch with my 10-day old infant daughter. Donovan was visibly sad when I approached him but with the little lunch memory, I was able to bring a smile to his face. At the end of the day, this brilliant, distinguished, scholar and educator stands out for so much more than his professional contribution. But I suspect I don’t need to tell his family that.
I regret not being able to attend Donovan’s memorial on November 10th as I no longer live in BC but will be joining you online to celebrate the life of this wonderful man.