In Memoriam: Dr. Roy Brown

The University of Calgary was saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Roy I. Brown, PhD, on May 8, 2025.

Born in Potters Bar, England, on Nov. 8, 1933, Brown attended the University of London where he earned a Bachelor of Science, Dip.Psy and a PhD, all in psychology. His early career began at the University of Bristol, where he was a research fellow. He subsequently immigrated to Calgary with his young family. 

There he took on the directorship of the Vocational Rehabilitation Research Institute (now Vecova), as well as serving as a professor at UCalgary, where he became head of the Department of Educational Psychology (1979-1986) and, later,  director of the Rehabilitation Studies Programme, an inter-faculty project (1980-1992). 

Following this, he relocated to Adelaide, Australia, where he served as dean and Foundation Chair of the School of Special Education and Disability Studies at Flinders University of South Australia (1994-2000). 

He was Professor Emeritus at both UCalgary and Flinders, and held an honourary doctorate from the University of Ghent.

Brown was a passionate mentor who took great pleasure in witnessing his students flourish. He maintained that everyone needs a mentor; someone who sees in one those things that one might not yet see in oneself.

He was a proud member of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Mental Deficiency (IASSID), where he was founding director of the IASSID Academy. Because of his indefatigable contributions to his chosen field, he was the recipient of innumerable awards and honours for his work. Brown’s work in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities studies was dedicated to the development and education of persons with disabilities and the increased awareness for their need of a greater quality of life, along with their caregivers.

Brown's work as teacher, researcher and practitioner has benefited individuals and communities in Canada, the U.K., Australia, Gaza and many other places throughout the world. His dedication to this work was such that, until his final days, he was still engaged in, and contributing to, its growth.

Brown was a prolific writer and editor, a great asker of questions, an inspiring lecturer, and a dedicated community advocate who served on numerous boards, most recently the Sooke and Juan De Fuca Health Foundation and Sooke Region Communities Health Network in B.C.

He lived a rich life. He was curious, searching, well-read and well-travelled. Much of this was done with Mary at his side, not only as husband and wife, but as partners in every sense of the word. Brown was an avid gardener, as well as a keen pianist and organist, a lover of music, the singer of improvised ditties, and an enthusiastic scrabble player. He had a great, cheeky sense of humour, and, as so many have witnessed, he was a great teller of stories, in each of them a life lesson embedded. 

Most importantly, he was a loving, caring husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be remembered with much love as an amazing and true individual.

The full obituary is available on the Arbor Memorial website.