Okanagan College Media Release

Flags are at half-staff today at Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus as staff mourn the loss of the one of the institution’s well-respected leaders, Ron Jeffels, who died on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at the age of 87.

Jeffels led Okanagan College as president from 1975-80. He is remembered by former Okanagan College president Bill Bowering (1988-97) as someone who brought a great sense of joviality and camaraderie to the workplace and raised the profile of Okanagan College in the region through his strength as a dynamic speaker.

“We are saddened by the news of Ron Jeffels’ passing and express our sincere sympathies to his wife Maebrette, daughter Trixie and grandchildren,” said Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton. “Ron played a great role in the history of Okanagan College and will be deeply missed by those who had the pleasure of working alongside him.”

Jeffels came to Okanagan College in 1975 from the University of Victoria, where he held the position of registrar and later, dean of Student and College Affairs. Jeffels had a celebrated career in the military, where, in his own words, he was shaped by his military experience.

“You come second as an officer,” said Jeffels. “You don’t count and the men do, so you do everything to ensure that they are clothed, housed, fed, happy, looked after and so on. I brought that with me when I came back to civilian life. I looked at running the College as a military operation. I made a point of drifting around the office, greeting the staff early in the morning, seeing how they were, comforting them if necessary.”

That sense of leadership was well remembered by colleague and former registrar of Okanagan College, Trevor Braem, who was hired by Jeffels in 1978. Braem worked for Jeffels for five years and the two maintained a strong personal friendship after Jeffels left Okanagan College to become president of the Open Learning Institute.

“Ron was a colourful character and a very dynamic and eloquent speaker,” remembered Braem. “He was very student-oriented and made some great achievements at Okanagan College during his tenure as president. Ron worked hard to bring about the Library in Kelowna as well as the Student Services Centre.

“What I valued about him most though, was that he treated people very, very well. Ron had an incredible capacity to remember people’s names and he would take the time to thank his staff, and everyone around him, personally by name for the work they did. He administered with flair and lots of panache – he was a very classy man.”

Jeffels earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta, and a Bachelor of Education and Master’s degree from Cambridge University. Throughout his career and even after retiring, Jeffels held close ties with several post-secondary institutions.

His first job in education was as an associate professor of French language and literature at UBC. He went on to work for a time as assistant to UBC President John Barfoot Macdonald. In that role he helped author the Macdonald Report on Higher Education in British Columbia and a Plan for the Future. After working at the University of Victoria, Okanagan College and the Open Learning Institute, Jeffels retired but continued writing and taught creative writing at Douglas College.

When reflecting on his time at Okanagan College, Jeffels recalled the experience fondly. “I was fairly well known by people in the college system and they attracted me there,” said Jeffels. “I always wanted to be the president of something and in those days the salary was attractive, I liked the Valley and I liked the people. It was the happiest six years of my life.

“My idea in education is never to spend too long in one institution. One of the things I’m proud of is the relationship I established with students. I’ve never forgotten the headlines in the student newspaper when I left. It said, ‘Jeffels resigns; who can possibly replace him?’”

A memorial service will be held on Friday, Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. at Boal Chapel:
1505 Lillooet Road
North Vancouver, BC
(604) 980-3451

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Maebrette & Ron Jeffels Scholarship or the Lions Gate Foundation.