ictoria (Vicky) Troup, a

highly-respected member of
both the Biology and
Environmental Science
departments, will be missed as a
result of her succumbing to
cancer on February 9.

She joined the Biology
department in the spring of 1977
and had been at the College ever
since, except for two years when
she lived with her husband, Art,
in Malaysia. He was there
working on a CIDA project.

Vicky received her B.Sc. at
McMaster University, where she
also met Art. However, only
from her cousin Peter did we
learn that the flame for Art
developed after she had turned
on a bunsen burner in a
chemistry lab and then went to
ask Art for a match!

Vicky taught a variety of
courses, but her favourite was
Biology 105 (Environmental
Biology), which she also taught
at the Sechelt and Squamish
campuses. Her interest in
environmental biology was
instrumental in her helping to
develop and co-coordinate the
Environmental Science program at the
North Vancouver campus.

Vicky loved water! From her early
childhood she spent every summer at
the family’s cabin at Parry Sound,
swimming, fishing and canoeing with
her cousins and friends. She also was a
counsellor at several summer camps
where she taught swimming and
canoeing. Later, she was an active
member of the Royal Lifesaving
Society and represented Canada at an
afternoon garden party at Buckingham
Palace where she was introduced to the
Queen.

Vicky was instrumental in collecting
a variety of canoes, including ones
from Polynesia and from B.C.’s West
Coast native groups. She arranged
transport of these canoes by the Royal
Canadian Airforce to the main
canoeing museum in Ontario. Vicky
also participated in the re-enactment of
Simon Fraser’s trip down the Fraser

Birdwatchers, Keith Wade andVickyTroup

Friend and

colleague lives on
through “wonderful

memories”

River from Prince George to Fort
Langley. She loved being dressed as a
voyageur and paddling down the river.

Vicky always tried to instil in the
rest of us her love of water. There were
many times she would take us in her
cedar stripped canoe — carrying out a
black tern survey in the wetlands at
Creston and making a hasty retreat as a
thunder and lightening storm descended
upon us; surveying warblers along the
willow-edged Callaghan Lake; taking
evening paddles to listen to loons on
Canim Lake; and skimming the waters
of Alta Lake to watch a harrier hawk
chase a belted kingfisher.

Vicky was gracious and loved to host
parties at her home. She loved to cook!
There was rarely a departmental or
divisional party in which Vicky would
not sport a wonderfully prepared
Malaysian meal — curried dishes,
deep-fried shrimp chips, and a variety
of other specialities. Vicky was

generous and gracious!

These are but a few of the
memories of Vicky, but the
most stirring and wonderful
memories are those expressed
in the following eulogy by
Nancy Segsworth.

Nancy Ricker
Biology instructor

Nancy Segsworth’s
eulogy for Vicky Troup

t was when I joined the

Biology department at
Capilano College in 1992
that Vicky and Nancy Ricker
took me under their
proverbial wings. So you see,
I have not known Vicky as
long or as well as most of
you. However, when I heard
of Vicky’s illness, like you, I
was flooded with many,
many memories of times
shared.

My mind started playing
word association games,
such as Vicky and
potstickers! Yes, little fried
dumplings that Vicky
acquired a taste for in Indonesia, and
shared at every opportunity — her
front porch, the Biology department
Christmas party, the division potluck
luncheon, you name it, potstickers
were there!

My mind continued. Vicky and
music. We soon discovered that we
had a mutual dilemma. She had
season’s tickets to the symphony and
I had seasons tickets to the opera and
we both had husbands who were
away 90 per cent of the time. So
Vicky most generously shared Art’s
ticket to the symphony with me and
Vicky shared my husband’s ticket to
the opera.

Yes, Vicky could really be
transported by music. Imagine,
driving along a gravel road to
Callaghan Lake, towing a boat, the
windows rolled down, Kiri Takanawa
blasting on the CD player, pedal to

@nformer