CLARENCE VICTOR THIO

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CLARENCE VICTOR THIO December 16, 1938 - November 16, 2000 Following a courageous battle with melanoma, Clarence Victor Thio passed away peacefully at the St. Boniface Palliative Care Unit on November 16, 2000, with his family by his side. Clarence was born in Boissevain, MB on December 16, 1938. Following his schooling there he received a BSc in Electrical Engineering and a MSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Manitoba in 1961 and 1964 respectively. Since graduation, Clarence was employed by Manitoba Hydro for the past 36 years, most recently as Manager of System Planning for the Corporation. Clarence loved his work at Manitoba Hydro. He always talked of being proud and fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with what he often referred to as a "phenomenal" engineering team at Manitoba Hydro. This team was instrumental in developing Hydro Electric Power Transmission systems in Manitoba and became well known throughout the world for its engineering works. Clarence and his team of colleagues are authors / co-authors of more than 60 published technical papers on power transmission. Clarence also served on numerous international committees on power transmission. In 1995, Clarence received the Engineering Merit Award from the Association of Professional Engineers of Manitoba for outstanding contributions to the engineering profession, the community, and to the Province of Manitoba. In 1996, at an awards ceremony in Baltimore, MD, Clarence received a prestigious Fellow Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE ) "for outstanding contributions in engineering which have caused an improvement in the quality of life for society". Clarence received the Fellow grade "for his technical leadership and contributions to the planning, applications and analysis of high-voltage direct-current power transmission systems". Clarence was very active in sports all his life. He continued to play hockey and baseball right up to the time of his illness. Clarence was a national certified coach in hockey and ringette. He coached and managed minor hockey teams in his community including the Fort Garry / Fort Rouge Twins organization. He also worked on a number of sports administration positions in the community. In 1989 Clarence coached a senior Manitoba ringette team to a national silver medal at the Canadian championships. He also received the Order of Sports Excellence Awards from the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba. Clarence maintained a life-long interest in the outdoors, sports, farming, and the environment. He had been a long-time president of the Winnipeg Game and Fish Association and assisted with many wildlife and conservation projects in Manitoba. Clarence is survived by his wife Laraine, his children Geoff (Carla), Andrea (Brent), his sister Lorette Pringle (Wayne), brother Roger (Harriet), brother-in-law Gordon Dunn, his nieces and nephews, cousins, and many relatives in Belgium. Clarence was predeceased by his parents Leon and Adrienne. As with his other accomplishments, Clarence had great pride in his family and took great pleasure in a "Thio" family reunion this summer. Clarence was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend whose love for his family showed in everything he did. He will be sadly missed by his family, friends, and colleagues. Special thanks to Dr. Ralph Wong and the caring staff in the Oncology and Palliative Care Units at St. Boniface Hospital. Cremation will take place and a Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, November 21, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Peters Anglican Church, 755 Elm, with The Ven. Phil Barnett presiding. Donations can be made in Clarences memory to CancerCare Manitoba at 675 McDermot Ave., R3E 0V9, or a charity of your choice. We love you and we miss you.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 19, 2000