Dr. Richard Stace-Smith—a UBC alumnus—worked as a research plant pathologist specializing in viruses with Agriculture Canada for 39 years. In 1999, he was honoured with the Order of British Columbia for his leadership to protect biodiversity and to conserve the environment for future generations. He was recognized and respected for his roles with Vancouver Natural History Society, BC Naturalists’ Foundation, VanDusen Botanical Garden, Brock House Society and Fraser River Coalition among others.

Richard was born May 2, 1924 in Creston BC, and lived there until he entered UBC in 1947 to pursue a BSc in Agriculture. While an undergraduate, he was employed as a student assistant with the Federal Laboratory of Plant Pathology, located on the UBC campus. After graduation, he was hired as a plant pathologist researching virus diseases of small fruits. He then received educational leave to undertake graduate work at Oregon State University, where he completed a PhD in 1954 with a thesis on raspberry viruses. He returned to the Laboratory of Plant Pathology, which became a section of the Vancouver Research Station officially in 1960. He remained at the Agriculture Canada Vancouver Research Station until official retirement in 1989.

In addition to being an alumnus, Richard was also associated with the Faculty of Land and Food Systems as an adjunct professor in the Plant Science department, contributing to an undergraduate course on Plant Pathology. His involvement increased in 1971 when the director of the Vancouver Research Station and the dean encouraged researchers to jointly develop a new graduate course on Plant Virology open to graduate students enrolled in both UBC and SFU. This proved to be a popular course and it attracted graduate students from across Canada.

Richard’s love of nature and travel took him worldwide. Around his West Point Grey neighbourhood, he will be remembered for his productive garden, which he generously shared with all. Dr. Richard Stace-Smith passed away peacefully on January 17, 2017 at the age of 92. His gentle and understanding nature, optimism and sense of humor will be missed by his family, friends and all who knew him.

In his memory, the Richard Stace-Smith Memorial Scholarship has been established at the UBC Faculty of Land & Food Systems.

In keeping with the spirit of his lifelong generosity and quest for knowledge, your gift to this scholarship will support the studies of a dedicated UBC Land & Food Systems undergraduate or graduate student—someone starting out as Richard did more than five decades ago.