In Memoriam-Herb Stovel

On March 14, one of the truly outstanding faculty members in the School of Canadian Studies, Herb Stovel, succumbed to cancer. Herb was a pillar of strength and support to the School of Canadian Studies, a gifted and committed teacher and he was at the centre of the field of heritage conservation, both in Canada and internationally. Among the many touching comments in the Ottawa Citizen’s online obituary guestbook, a story told by Rohit Jigyasu of Chandigarh India perhaps best evokes the spirit of Herb. Jigyasu tells of how he met Herb in 2002 when Herb was the director of the UN’s International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property in Rome and Jigyasu was there on a student fellowship.  Jigyasu writes of how Herb asked him in 2002 to read over a heritage policy document that he had just prepared and how this request came as a shock: “It was very surprising for a young professional like me for being entrusted with such job but even more surprising when he decided to grant me my first international consultancy after patiently listening to my critique of his work. When I expressed my gratitude, he simply smiled and said…”Do the same when you meet other Rohits on your way.” Such was the greatness of this visionary who had tremendous belief in the power of youth. He strongly believed in the freshness of ideas that they would bring and got so enthusiastic while interacting with his students.”

This brief story of a Canadian architect turned heritage conservationist mentoring an Indian student while working for an international heritage organization in Rome encapsulates Herb’s life in many ways. On the one hand, it reveals how Herb’s professional and personal impact was global in ways that few of us could imagine. Along with his affiliation with ICCROM, he was the President of APTI (Association of Preservation Technology International, 3000 members) between 1989 and 1991, the Secretary-General of ICOMOS (the International Council of Monuments and Sites International (1990-1993, 8,000 members) and the President of ICOMOS Canada (1993-1997, 550 members). He was considered to be one of the global leaders in world heritage and, once he came to Carleton in 2004, rarely did two weeks pass before Herb got on a plane to fly off to Kathmandu, Vilnius, Shanghai or Edinburgh for a few days to lend a hand on some local heritage project before flying back to Ottawa to teach his classes. At the same time as he was a fixture on the global heritage stage, he was also an important force in local, provincial and national heritage conservation projects and advocacy.

On the other hand, Jigyasu’s story reveals Herb’s optimism, passion, warmth, generosity, enthusiasm, energy and unflagging support of his students, colleagues and fellow lovers of heritage. Even when he knew that his cancer was terminal, he would show up to the university to counsel students and consult with others in the heritage field. Herb’s love for his students and for sharing his knowledge, the joy and enthusiasm with which he lived his life, and his passion for and commitment to what he believed in will be his lasting legacy to those of us who had the pleasure and good fortune of knowing him. May we have the wisdom, openness, strength and courage to live up to that legacy.

-Peter Hodgins

Ottawa Citizen’s online obituary guestbook