ALEXANDER

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ALEXANDER McINNES "MAC" RUNCIMAN Mr. Alexander McInnes "Mac" Runciman, beloved husband of Marjorie, of Red Deer, passed away at the Red Deer Regional Hospital on Wednesday, December 6, 2000, at the age of 86 years. Born in Scotland in 1914, the elder son of Alexander and Evelyn (Anderson) Runciman, Mac came to Canada in 1928 with his family and farmed in the Balcarres district until 1940. After serving overseas with the Canadian Army from January 1940 to 1945, he farmed in the Abernethy district of Saskatchewan from 1946 to 1961. Mac and Marjorie Evelyn Dick of Abernethy were married in 1949 and their daughters were born during their years on the farm. In 1961 the family moved to Winnipeg when Mac was elected President of United Grain Growers Limited, living there until 1999, when they moved to Red Deer and made it home. During 20 years as President and Chief Executive Officer of UGG, in addition to responsibility for the affairs of the company, Mac was involved in numerous agriculturally related organizations as well as Canadian business in general and many community activities. He was director of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture 1961 to 1968, member of the Canadian Wheat Board Advisory Committee 1961 to 1975, the founding president of the Canola Council of Canada and the Canada Grains Council, a member of the Agricultural Economics Research Council of Canada, the Economic Council of Canada 1974 to 1980, the National Statistics Council 1986 to 1990, a director of the Great Lakes Waterways Development Association 1976 to 1982 and its chairman 1984 to 1986. Mac was an advisor to the Canadian delegation to the International Wheat Agreement negotiations in Geneva in 1962 and 1978 and a member of the Canadian delegation to the GATT Cereals negotiations in Geneva in 1967, as well as a delegate to four conferences of the International Federation of Agriculture Producers. Following his retirement from UGG in 1981, Mac actively pursued many other interests. He was a member of the board of Governors of the University of Manitoba from 1982 to 1988 and chaired the board from 1983 to 1988. He served Victoria General Hospital as a trustee from 1972 until 1990 and board Chairman 1988 to 1990; as a Director of the Hospitals Foundation from 1982 to 1999 and President from 1990 to 1992. He was a trustee of the United Way of Greater Winnipeg from 1969 to 1972 and Manitoba Governments round table on Environment and Economy and a trustee of the Fort Whyte Wildlife Foundation from 1982 to 1992. Mac was a director of a number of Canadian corporations including Great-West Life Assurance Company, Canadian Pacific Limited, the Royal Bank of Canada, Massey Ferguson Ltd., Fletchers Fine Foods Limited and Power Financial Corporation. He was the Honorary Colonel of The Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada from 1979 to 1993 and a Past President and Life Member of the St. Andrews Society of Winnipeg and the 1998 recipient of its Citizen of the Year Award. Mac was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1983, was recipient of the Centennial Medal and the Queens Silver Jubilee Medal, was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Manitoba in 1974 and from the University of Saskatchewan in 1977. In 1991 he received the Peter D. Curry Chancellors Award from the University of Manitoba for his service to the University. He was an honorary member of the Agricultural Institute of Canada, the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists, the Canadian Seed Trade Association, the C.D. Howe Institute, the Canola Council of Canada, the Canadian Seed Growers Association, the Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association and the University of Manitoba Transport Institute. He was also a member of the Saskatchewan and Canadian Agricultural Halls of Fame. As well as Marjorie, his wife of more than 50 years, Mac is survived by his two daughters, Dorothy, her husband Paul Hryniuk and their son Graham of Red Deer, and Cathy and her husband Blair Walkington of Balcarres, Sask.; his only sister Mrs. Joan Hyndman also of Balcarres and his only brother James Runciman and his wife Ann of Ladysmith, B.C. A celebration of Macs life will be held at Eventide Funeral Chapel, Red Deer, on Saturday, December 9, at 11:00 a.m. with the Reverend Andrew Burnand officiating. Cremation will follow at Central Alberta Crematorium, Red Deer. If desired, tributes may be made to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre Foundation, Box 5030, Red Deer, Alta., T4N 6R2. Email condolences could also be forwarded to the family at Eventide@telusplanet.net. Service providers Eventide Funeral Chapels, 4820 - 45th Street, Red Deer. Phone 347-2222.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 08, 2000