Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

Alec Lee and Linda Cross: A Special Partnership

Alec’s Story
The fall of 1973 marked the end of my 2-year research position with the
Union of BC Indian Chiefs in Vancouver. Earlier, I had done some HR
work in the banking industry but realized that wasn’t where I wanted to
make my career. Fortunately, while finishing off my MBA at UBC I had the
opportunity to teach part time with UBC’s Continuing Education Division
and Douglas College. It didn’t take long
to recognize that teaching at the post-
secondary level was what I wanted to
do, and that Victoria was where I
wanted to live.

Fortunately, Lorne Thompson, Director

of the Business Division at Camosun
College, offered me a teaching position.
On January 2, 1974 I began my
excellent adventure at Camosun, along
with Don Lindsay and Gilbert Murray
who both started the same day.

Back then, the college was a magical

Alec in the early years
place to work. I credit the college and
Business Division leadership with
making it that way. The values that drove the community college system fit
with mine – strong community focus, lots of freedom and flexibility, a high
degree of collegiality, and an assumption that we knew our jobs. Most of
the staff were of similar age with similar energy levels so there were lots of
things going on that brought us together, such as the ski club, Tuesday
hockey games and socializing after work. At that time, I met several
people who are still among my closest friends.

The college offered many opportunities to be creative in developing

courses and programs. I was fortunate to be involved in the evolution of
the Diploma in Public Administration and the Certificate in Personnel
Management. Working with Robin McQueen, Carole Gosse and Richard
Oleson, I also participated in the development of the degree program in
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

Human Resource Management, which, I’m proud to say, is still going

strong after fifteen years. The
BASIS program in the 1990’s
was a special experience
where I worked with a
tremendous team building and
running an integrated first year
curriculum using state of the
art computer technology.
Other notable experiences
included working with visiting
Chinese educators in the
mid-1980’s as well as being an
active part of the BC HR
Management community.
Alec with visiting Chinese educators, Han Yong & Jason Chu
There were also opportunities as well as David Terrell and Blane McIntosh, 1986
to personally grow and
develop. I took my MPA from UVic, became a Certified Human Resource
Professional and was rewarded with recognition in several meaningful
ways, as a teacher, program developer, and as an HR professional in the
province. I also had the chance to move into the administrative ranks as
Assistant Director of Business, working closely with Bob Brown who was
the Director at the time.

Another
highlight of my
college career
came when I
spent a few
years as
Associate Dean
with Greg
Spears and the
gang in
Community

Alec with other

Associate Deans Thelma
Midori and Ray Hummel,
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

Education. What a vibrant,

creative group! Being involved in
CE programs and putting together
the college’s Training and
Development Services were
special experiences. I again made
many friendships that continue to
this day.

At the same time, working as

Associate Dean in both Business
and CE connected me with many
others in different parts of the
college. I particularly valued my
contact with the other Associate
Deans including Barb Latham,
Thelma Midori, John Betts, Ray
Hummel, Julie Martin and Molly
Alec, a confirmed book lover, with Barb Chisamore.
Latham, former Associate Dean. Barb was
one of a group of Camosun authors who Above all, an instructor position
wrote and published the book of essays, In
Her Own Right, in 1984 with the School of Business
afforded me all the things that
make a job meaningful and
motivating. I had autonomy, collegiality, responsibility, recognition and lots
of freedom. And I got to spend time with my son, Sam, when he was in
the college day care! Certainly, as the college grew things naturally
changed. But, during my thirty-three years, it was always a joy to be there.
Every day I went to work surrounded by positive youthful energy. Couldn’t
beat it!!

It was through the college that I met Linda when we partnered to run a
Management Skills for Supervisors workshop in 1980. Following that, we
remained friends. About twenty years ago, as both of our life
circumstances changed so did the direction of our relationship. Seventeen
years ago, we sold our respective houses, moved into our View Royal
home and have never looked back.

We decided to retire early, figuring that we were in a reasonable financial

position to do what we wanted. I left in the fall of 2006 and Linda in early
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

2007. Although
we both worked
part-time at the
college for a few
years after
retiring, we were
very busy in our
new calling -
finding ways to
enjoy ourselves.

A big part of my
life has involved
music, and
retirement has
Alec playing at the Chemainus Jazz Fest, 2015
given me the
chance to pursue
it much more fully.
Opportunities to play blues, rock and jazz with some fine musicians have
presented themselves and, as a bass player, I’ve jumped in with both
hands! I fulfilled my dreams of playing at the Victoria Jazz Festival (with the
Susannah Adams Quintet), as well as at so many of the great venues in
town, including the venerable Harpo’s (my second home for many years),
Hermann’s and Butchart Gardens (with Bigfoot Joe and Queenie & the
Groove Kings). More recently, I’ve played with a jazz/rock fusion group
giving me the chance to write and record some of my own songs. All very
satisfying.

Alec (far left) with long-time Camosun friends Jack Guthrie, Don Lindsay and Brian Killip, 2019
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

Retirement allows me the time to volunteer with several Victoria community

groups, such as Friends of Music and, along with Jack Guthrie and Dennis
Okada (whom I still miss), the fantastic Times Colonist Book Sale, which
unfortunately isn’t running this year. It has also given me more time to
pursue my book and record collecting interests.

As well, the last few years has found me back into photography in a big
way, with particular emphasis on wildlife, plants and night sky. What has
helped has been connecting with some like-minded and talented people,
individually and through the Victoria Camera Club. They all know much
more than me but, as an eager learner, I’ve been working hard to improve.
It was definitely very satisfying when one of my night sky images received
national recognition. Please feel free to check out what I’ve been up to at
alecleephotography.com.

Alec’s photos
Above: Lunar Eclipse selected by
Skynews as the Best Lunar,
Planetary or Solar image for 2019.
The photo was made by
assembling a dozen individual
shots to capture this composite.

Left: Photo of Fawn Lily

 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

Linda’s Story

Like so many others in the Camosun Family, I joined

the college as a Community Education instructor. In
1980, I was very fortunate to be welcomed into the
department and supported with many contracts by
Chris Oulton-Smith and the CE staff. I recall one
February when I told Chris that I wanted to take my
young family to Europe for nine months and needed
to make a specific amount of money before we left.
She took this to heart and found just enough work
for me to meet my goal. Linda in 1989

My contracts with CE led to an opportunity to teach

a few classes for the School of Business. As was the case with so many of
us, Camosun was a place where casual assignments became part time
appointments which, in due course, became a full-time instructor position. I
also believe in the saying that “possession is 9/10 of the law’”. The office I
shared with three others became so full of my things they had to give me
one of my own!

It was a blessing to be able to

work with such a fine cohort of
faculty and staff. Teaching
Business Communications,
Organizational Behaviour and
Introduction to Management
provided me the opportunity to
connect with students on a
personal level. I loved
challenging them to think
about the “people” side of
business.
The School of Business at
Camosun was a wonderful
mixture of high standards and Linda celebrating at her last Integrated Business Case gala
From left to right: Narine Grigoryan, Don King, Joan Yates, Troy
innovation. As instructors we Dunning, Linda Cross, Tana Kristjanson, Janice Seto, Karen
were encouraged to help our Stephens, Richard Olesen Tom Ripon
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

students achieve the best they could, and at the same time we were
always enabled to try new approaches to education. I was fortunate to be
involved in several such initiatives; two stand out as particularly
memorable. The BASIS program brought a consistent cohort of first year
students and instructors together in the same room sharing curriculum,
projects and technology in a highly integrated approach. I was privileged
to be a part of this group. I was also blessed to be the coordinator of the
Integrated Business Case which
was a project in which first year
teams of Business students
coordinated projects from all six of
their first term courses to create
an innovative business idea. It
was always inspirational to see
the best of these ideas presented
at a gala event with judges from
the business community choosing
the most deserving concept.
We had a great deal of fun at
Camosun, and particularly in the
School of Business. Our
Christmas Parties and Golf
Tournaments were legendary, but
Corporate Rowing Team my favourite team activity was
Helinka Szwender, Linda Cross, Cath Mack,
Karen Giffon participating in the Corporate
Challenge rowing competition.

Not only did

Camosun offer me a
very rewarding
career, I also met the
lovely man who is
now my husband!

When I retired in
2007 I was fortunate
to continue working
for the College
supervising

Linda’s 70th birthday with family and friends.

 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

business students during their Co-op Work Terms. One memorable day, I
visited students at William Head Prison, the Victoria Symphony and a
Funeral Parlour. Where else can you do that?!

While my days as a retiree always seem to be busy, and filled with variety,
there are two main activities that keep me occupied. One is quilting and
the other is volunteering as a Master Gardener. Alec and I are blessed
with many wonderful grandchildren and I have made a quilt for almost all of
them. I became a Master Gardener in 2004 and have been happily
involved since then. I love being able to use the skills I brought from
Camosun with the Education Committee of the Victoria Master Gardener
Association. Also, our beloved
home garden is a wonderful
creative outlet for me which
also provides me with exercise
and a sense of peace.

Above: Master Gardener Linda at

work

Right: A section of Linda and Alec’s

beloved garden
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

Linda with her grandchildren and the lovely quilts she made for each of them

Alec and Linda’s Excellent Adventures in Retirement

We’ve travelled extensively since retiring. Particularly notable memories

include: walking in England and France; cycling in Spain; cruising from
Rome to Rio; getting robbed in Argentina; visiting with our friends, Brian
and Bonnie Killip, in Lo de Marcos; seeing the Monarch Butterflies in
Morelia, Mexico; marvelling at the 2017 solar eclipse in Oregon; and
gazing at the northern lights in -30° Yellowknife! Our trips visiting family in
Belize have taken us to isolated Caribbean Islands, ancient Mayan ruins
and night hunting in the jungle. Much of our recent travel has been in
Canada, from seeing the Northwest Territories, visiting magical Gwaii
Haanas on Haida Gwai, and going to Gros Morne in Newfoundland. We
try to stay active on our holidays so often build them around special places
to hike, bike or kayak.

The most significant part of our lives has involved our blended family, with
four adult children, and nine grandchildren (plus three more we have taken
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

Linda and Alec cycling in the Loire Valley, 2016

in!). Our family grew so large that we had to remove a wall in our dining
room just to fit everyone for dinner. Last year, for Linda’s 70th birthday,
nineteen of us spent three wonderful nights camping at Sidney Spit. We
traveled by kayak and ferry, and it was noted that no other group visiting
the island had ever brought so much gear!

Fortunately, our three daughters live here. Amy is a chiropractor, Nancy is

a legal assistant, and Toni is a restaurateur, running Café Zanzibar in
Brentwood Bay. Our son, Sam, who lives in Vancouver, is an economist by
day and a stand-up comedian by night. Dinners at our house are an
international affair as our sons-in law come from Algeria, Belize and
Alberta! Needless to say, there’s never a dull moment.

During this time of social distancing, we recognize just how fortunate we

are. We have good friends, who stay in contact through Zoom, e-mail and
other platforms. We miss the hugs from our grandchildren, but are
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, June 2020

Linda and Alec

Left: photographing the Monarch
butterflies in Mexico, 2019
Above: Displaying their leg tattoos in
honour of the solar eclipse, 2017

fortunate to see them frequently, at a distance. We live in an amazing city

where gardening, hiking, biking, music and photography can easily fill our
socially distant days. And, on top of everything, our time at Camosun has
provided us with a secure pension that keeps us quite comfortable!