We at VIOCS wish to extend our condolences to the family and friends of our fellow alumnus, Paul Wesson. His friend Pat Lapcevic has kindly provided the following obituary for inclusion on our website:

Paul died unexpectedly at home on Gabriola in the early morning of September 16th 2015, likely due to a heart attack related to the chronic pancreatitis and diabetes that he battled over the last twenty years of his life.

Paul was born and raised in Nottingham, England.  He studied physics at the University of London in Portsmouth and astrophysics at St. John’s College, University of Cambridge. He lived in Norway for several years prior to moving to Canada in 1978. In Canada, he worked in Kingston and Edmonton before settling in Waterloo in 1984 where he was a Professor of Astronomy and Geophysics. He leaves a significant body of research in the form of journal papers and 12 books including a science-fiction trilogy he was very proud to have authored.

In 1975, a school pen-friend introduced him to Gabriola Island. He spent summers there for decades before moving permanently to B.C. in 2004.  He loved spending time in Victoria watching cricket games and tried to attend the VIOCS boat race celebration when he could.

Paul is survived by his friend Pat, children: Amanda (Patrick and Sullivan), Emily (Sebastien), Jasper and Sterling, English family (Betty, Aunt Marion and others) and many friends around the world.

Paul’s life ended way too soon and he will be very much missed by many people, likely most of all by his 11 year old son Sterling.