In Memoriam

Dennis Hawksworth, BSF’72

Dennis Hawksworth1948 – 2013

On August 30, 2013, Dennis lost his battle with Mantle Cell B Lymphoma. After graduating, Dennis worked for Netherlands Overseas Sawmills and in 1976 was recruited by Weldwood, serving as a roving project manager in the construction of the Burns Lake sawmill. In 1983, he was promoted to general manager of Weldwood’s Babine Forest Products. In 1988, Dennis moved to Hinton, AB, and served as project manager in the construction of the Hi‑Atha Sawmill. In 1997, he was appointed vice‑president of Hinton Forest and Wood Products. Dennis served as president of the Alberta Forest Products Association in 1996 and was active on the Board and several committees. He was vice‑chairman of the Canadian Lumber Standards National Lumber Grading Association and vice‑chairman of the Softwood Lumber Committee of Alberta. In 1999, he served as a member of Canada’s Softwood Lumber Agreement negotiating team. In 2000, he was appointed to an interim committee responsible for designing a new Alberta Forestry Research Institute and enjoyed serving on the board of the (now) Foothills Research Institute from 1996‑2004. After retiring from Weldwood/West Fraser in 2005, Dennis joined the Alberta Government as Director of Forest Products in 2008. In 2011, Dennis moved to Kamloops with his partner, Susan, enjoying the fine weather and proximity to his property on Shuswap Lake. Dennis commuted to Edmonton while on contract with the Government of Alberta and was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer in 2011.

He eventually retired in 2012. He was a keen outdoorsman and skier, and had an encyclopedic knowledge of roots, rock and roll musicians, and music. He was a keen family man who enjoyed taking his family to many parts of the world. His enthusiasm and high spirits made him many friends within and outside the forestry profession in Alberta and BC. Dennis is survived by his children, Phoebe and Wylie, his partner, Susan Bevan, and his sister, Sherry Pooley, BEd’71.