Mark Holmes, Professor Emeritus

Professor Emeritus Mark Holmes passed away on Thursday, February 20. Mark was a member of the former Department of Educational Administration and contributed significantly to the OISE community in the 70s and 80s, retiring in the 90s. Colleague and Professor Emeritus Richard Townsend shared the following reflection:

Beginning in Britain, Mark followed his father's chosen path of school administration. Immigrating to Canada and after a stint teaching geography in a middle school. Mark served as a Nova Scotia principal, then earning a doctorate at University of Chicago. Before long, he became Director-General of the Protestant School Board in Laval, Quebec outside Montreal. A chance to be Head of Field Service at OISE brought him to 252 Bloor with a cross-appointment to the Department of Ed Admin (his special field).

Before long, in the Bernard Shapiro years, Mark became a vigorous Associate Director for OISE Administration. Next he was a full-time prof in Ed. Admin, taking principled and well-known stands against what he called "the liberal establishment" of Ontario education. 

In retirement, he was a regular referee for a Texas-based education journal, the author of a philosophical memoir, A Skeptic's Christianity, and an op-ed columnist for a weekly in Coburg. For much of his last year, Mark resided in an assisted-living facility where he was (in his wife Nora's words), "very well treated by staff." Rightly Mark and Nora were proud of their four kids' decency, enterprise, and independence.”

Please read the obituary of Mark Holmes. With our sincerest sympathies to Mark’s family and friends.