THE REVEREND CANON LAURENCE FRANK WILMOT

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THE REVEREND CANON LAURENCE FRANK WILMOT M.C., C.D., M.A., D.D. Warden Emeritus of St. Johns College, Winnipeg Laurie was born and raised on a small mixed farm in western Manitoba. He received his early education at Crocus Hill School and Bethany Consolidated School and completed a year of pre-engineering at the University of Manitoba before entering St. Johns College, where he graduated in 1931 with a Bachelor of Arts and Licentiate in Theology. He was ordained by Bishop W.W.H. Thomas, Diocese of Brandon, in St. Matthews Protestant Cathedral, deacon 1931, priest 1932. Laurie was Rector of Pilot Mound and Clearwater parishes, responsible for pastoral care of six congregations throughout the worst years of devastating drought in southern and western Manitoba. In June 1935, he became rector of St. James, Swan River, St. Matthews, Minitonas and St. Pauls, and Bowsman, MB, with pastoral responsibilities for a congregation in Renwar, MB. At the same time, Laurie was also appointed Chaplain to St. Faiths Mission, Swan River and Rural Dean of the Swan River Valley and surrounding communities. In December 1938, he resigned the parish of Swan River and was appointed Traveling Priest in the northern missions of the diocese of Brandon. On August 25, 1932, Laurie married Edith Louise Hope Littlewood, a Winnipeg school teacher. They had three children, Laurence Sydney (1933), Francis Mary Louise (1934) and Hope Fairfield (1940). On July 1, 1942, Laurie was appointed a chaplain in the Canadian Army, active service. Hon. Captain Wilmot served in Montreal, Sussex camp, NB, and Halifax before sailing to England with the No. 2 Canadian General Hospital in September 1943. From here, he trained in Algeria then was posted to Italy, where he became Chaplain to the West Nova Scotia Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Canadian division, stationed on what was known as the Arielli Front. The Padre was awarded the Military Cross for his action in organizing and directing the evacuation of wounded from a mine riddled battle field during the Canadian Corps attack on the main Gothic Line defenses at the Foglia River. He continued to serve with the WNSR in Italy and onto northwestern Europe, to become part of the Canadian Army which liberated Holland to end the war in Europe. Captain Wilmot had transferred to become second in command of the Protestant chaplains services for the Canadian Army Pacific Force, when he returned to Canada onboard the Isle de France, and arrived home in Winnipeg on disembarkation leave just as the Japanese Army surrendered and the war was over. Declining an offer of a chaplaincy posting in Ottawa, Chaplain Wilmot retired from the army and accepted an appointment in a Veterans Vocational School, preparing veterans for entrance to university. In September 1946 he was appointed Central Western Field Secretary for Christian Education under the auspices of the General Board of Education of the Anglican Church, with the responsibility to enrich the Christian education offered in the parishes of Anglican dioceses, from Fort William thru northwestern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. After four strenuous years of traveling in this field, Wilmot resigned to accept the rectorship of the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, St. Vital, MB. In September 1950, Wilmot was offered and accepted the Wardenship of St. Johns College, an office in which he served for 11 years. During this time, St. Johns College strengthened its faculties of Arts and Theology and moved to the campus of the University of Manitoba into a newly constructed building, complete with lecture rooms, residences for 50 men and 50 women students, and a chapel, the whole being constructed of beautiful Tyndal stone. In his later years, Laurie continued his close association with the College, assisting in preparations for its future. He was conferred Doctor of Divinity by Trinity College, Toronto in 1959, and in 1961, Canon Wilmot moved to England where he studied for two years at Oxford University. During this time he wrote a thesis which qualified him for a Masters Degree in Philosophy from the University of Manitoba in 1963, and was later published under the title "Whitehead and God: Prolegomena to Theological Reconstruction," Wilfred Laurier University Press (1979). He remained another four years, serving as Sub-Warden and Teaching Fellow of Christian Theology at St. Augustines College in Canterbury, Kent, England, where the College was serving as the Central College of the Anglican Communion. When St. Augustines closed in 1967, Canon Wilmot accepted an appointment as Theological Fellow at St. Lukes Episcopal Hospital in Houston, TX, where he received instruction in Clinical Pastoral Care. Subsequently, he was offered and accepted a position for a further year of training as a Resident I in a Clinical Pastoral program at St. Elizabeths Hospital, a huge Federal Psychiatric institution in Washington, DC. In 1969, Canon Wilmot was appointed Anglican Chaplain at Whitby Psychiatric Hospital, Ontario, where he organized a Pastoral Department and conducted courses in clinical pastoral care for three years. While in Whitby, he assisted in the organization of the Ontario Hospital Chaplains Assoc., and was elected President in his final year at Whitby, before officially "retiring" at the age of 65. Canon Wilmot returned to Winnipeg and for the next four years until 1977, he accepted concurrent, part-time positions as Coordinator of Continuing Education for the Clergy of the Diocese of Ruperts Land, and Director of Field Education for St. Johns College theological students. Laurie returned to the University of Manitoba to devout his time to historical research. He received a second Masters degree in History in 1979 for his thesis which unconvered documentation disclosing the University of Manitoba was founded in 1877 in response to an ultimatum delivered to the Lieutenant Governor Alexander Morris, by the Bishop Robert Machray on February 28, 1876. Around this time, Lauries wife Hope became ill, and he took full retirement to care for her over the next seven years. After 54 years of marriage Hope passed away on July 2, 1986. Laurie remained an active volunteer assisting a number of organizations including volunteer coordinator for the Society of Self-Help, and was a founding member and President for a two-year term with Creative Retirement Manitoba. He enjoyed serving as a volunteer assistant for 10 years with St. Helens Ayamihewkamik Anglican Church. Laurie has received numerous awards and accommodations in recognition of his continuing tireless efforts to help others. After moving to Fort Garry Place Seniors Residence, Laurie met Grace Gudrun Nunn, and they were married on January 21, 1995. Laurie and Grace enjoyed a close and enriching companionship; they spent time at the family cottage, traveled to Alaska, Europe, Central America, and wintered a number of years in Victoria, BC. During his later years, Laurie completed and published his memoirs of his years as a Chaplain in Italy, and also a record of his years as Warden of St. Johns College. Laurie was predeceased by his parents Thomas Herbert Wilmot and Fanny Campbell; his first wife Hope; sisters, Elsie, Frances and Peggy; and brother Jack. He leaves to mourn his passing his wife Grace; children, Laurence, Louise and Hope Wilmot; stepchildren, Cyndy Shaw and Randy Nunn; his sister Kathleen MacKay; and brothers, Archie and Walter; eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. The family wishes to express our sincere appreciation to those who have cared for Laurie, especially Dr. Maxwell and the staff of the Oncology Department of Victoria General Hospital, and his homecare nurse Chris. A service of celebration and thanksgiving for a long, blessed life will be held at St. Johns Cathedral on Thursday, December 18 at 11:00 a.m. with interment in St. Johns Cathedral cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Johns College for the Theological Lecture Trust, or the St. Johns College Wilmot Entrance Scholarship, 92 Dysart Rd., Winnipeg, MB R3T 2M5. THOMSON Funeral Chapels - 669 Broadway - 783-7211

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 17, 2003