Colleagues,
The Okanagan College flag has been lowered in memory of Jack Whyte, an OUC Honorary Doctor of Letters and an international best-selling author, who died earlier this week at age 80.
Whyte received the honour in 2003 for his contribution to Canadian literature. During his life, he published 17 best-selling works of historical fiction that have been translated into 20 languages. He was also a poet, and for 30 years was the Regimental Baird of the Calgary Highlanders.
“We lost a great writer and a great guy this week,” observes former Okanagan College Dean and respected author John Lent. “Jack Whyte was a successful, prolific writer whose work on English history will be read long after most of us are gone. He was an exhaustive researcher who knew how to bring history to life, and his new, more scientific understanding of the myths and legends surrounding the story of King Arthur in his Camulod Chronicles will likely be considered his greatest achievement.”
“He was also a great guy, a writer who was always generous with his fans and new writers seeking advice. And he could sing all night long.”
Information regarding any celebration of life will be shared when it becomes available.