UBC English Language & Literatures is saddened by the passing of Professor John Kieran Kealy, beloved mentor, lecturer, and friend.
Prof. Kealy, who went by Kieran, earned his doctorate in English from Stanford University. He became a treasured faculty member of our department in 1970 and continued to inspire generations of scholars at UBC until his retirement in 2004.
Prof. Kealy served as Chair of the English Honours Program, taught in Arts One, and received the Killam Teaching Prize in 1995. He is survived by Patricia (Pattie) Childs Kealy, his wife of 50 years, and the families of his two brothers.
Prof. Kealy specialized in Middle English, and was fondly remembered by his students – many of whom later became colleagues – for his captivating lectures on Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. He was an extraordinarily kind teacher who transformed the lives of countless students at UBC. Below are some tributes shared by his students and colleagues who remember him for his generosity, nurturing spirit, and sense of humour.
A memorial for Kieran Kealy will be held at the University Golf Club on Sunday, April 16th, 2023, 3:00-6:00 pm PT. His family welcomes all who knew him.
“Kieran Kealy was eccentric, brilliant, and inspiring, and he would effortlessly offer insights into everything from Chaucer to Coltrane. I still remember being spellbound by a lecture he gave on Donne. He was also a direct connection to 1960s counter-culture, as well as the social movements of the era that would shape the academic fields I eventually gravitated to. I began the Honours program as a student in his ENGL 210 class and he remained a trusted advisor throughout my undergraduate studies, especially as I prepared to go to graduate school. For me, Kieran always represented what is good and worthy in our profession. He really was a unique gem, and none of us will come close to replacing him however hard we try.
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“Kieran was an absolutely amazing teacher whose classes and remarks I have remembered for decades now with such fondness. He taught me so much about being yourself in teaching – even if yourself is a little weird. Once he was a little late for class, rushed in, and explained that he’d forgotten his lecture notes, and decided he’d better go back for them rather than “squawking like a raven for 20 minutes before letting you go.” The raven bit made sense in relation to what we were reading at the time; I had long forgotten the literary reference, but not that hilarious, absurd remark (Kieran was also an avid birder, which I later learned).
He was keenly insightful, knowing how and when to support, push a bit, encourage, and call us on it if we were moving into BS territory. Above all, Kieran was the loveliest person, incredibly generous in spirit and with his time and support. He was interesting and interested. I loved every chance in recent years to chat with him at departmental or university events. I’ll miss him.
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“Kieran was one of my favourite profs. He mumbled, his writing was unintelligible (we used to hand our papers to each other after we got them back to try to figure out what he’d written), and his marking scheme was random (“A (-?)” was not an uncommon mark), but he loved his students and would go to the end of the world for us. He absolutely helped me get into grad school, despite my general ignorance of such matters and what not to say on an application, and he knew where to find information about every scholarship and would make sure we got them. He had a wicked sense of humour (he used to begin each course with “no apples, no chips, no lovers!”), and he had a strong sense of social justice. Kieran was the first male professor I had who routinely noticed how women characters were being portrayed in our readings. I’ve always been so grateful to have known him.
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“Kieran's capacity to inspire was extraordinary, as was the sweater he wore (circa 1995), emblazoned with the memorable slogan 'Stop Plate Tectonics!' He was the best teacher I ever had, and the reason I went into academia in the first place.
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“Kieran was the Chair of the English Honours program when I was accepted into it in the late 1980s and he went on to play a pivotal role in my undergrad experience and my career. It’s no exaggeration to say that without Kieran, I wouldn’t be where I am today, almost 30 years into a career full of meaning, purpose, and joy. As a new Honours student in my early 20s, I remember Kieran’s incredible warmth and kindness helping me choose courses for 3rd and 4th year, and providing advice about a supervisor for my Honours thesis (Eva-Marie Kroller!). In addition to being an incredibly inspiring teacher, he was also a real person and was perhaps one of the first professors I had who really listened and advised with a great generosity of spirit. His full-year Chaucer course, which culminated in him reading a Winnie the Pooh story during the last class, remains a highlight of my undergrad experience.
I went on to teach as a sessional instructor in English, and Kieran remained a mentor. When I got interested in co-operative education programs after having 2 Science co-op students in my class, Kieran encouraged me to start one. A few weeks after our conversation, a handout about TLEF funding appeared in my mailbox, with the note “Apply for TLEF to start an English co-op program?” scrawled on it in his distinctive penmanship in purple ink. There began what has become a nearly 30 year career in helping Arts students feel empowered to take their learning out into the world, building good lives with meaningful work.
I have often tried to channel my ‘inner Kieran’ in meetings with students, striving to bring the authenticity, intelligence and warmth he brought to his interactions with me and all those he worked with. I’m glad I got to share my gratitude and memories with Kieran and Patty in a phone call about a year ago. And I feel very lucky that Kieran, with all of his unabashed individuality and vitality, played such a significant part in most of my now decades-long experience at UBC.
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“Kieran was my first friend at UBC and still someone I loved. We shared an office for a couple of years before the brutalist tower was built, where he would amuse all of us new recruits (eight of us in 1970 alone) with wonderful stories about the eccentricities of our senior colleagues.
Altogether Kieran was a fine and unique man — we shall not see his like again. My heart goes out to Pattie. It’s a terrible loss.
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“In 1971-72, my Wednesday evening Chaucer class with Kieran Kealy was the highlight of my week. A recent transplant from Ontario, I would make the long trek from my drab apartment in the far reaches of New Westminster to take my first class at UBC. Here I discovered the vibrant world of Chaucerian England, brought to life by Kieran’s humour and humanity. Without question, he was the kindest and most entertaining professor I have had in my many years as a professional student.
He encouraged me to apply to the MA program and was a mentor figure when I continued as a sessional. Several years later when my mother-in-law began the MA program, she too took a course from Kieran, and a family friendship began. On one memorable occasion, she prepared a medieval banquet for a group of Chaucer devotees and Kieran provided the medieval anecdotes, delivered with his customary dry humour.
After my mother-in-law’s memorial service, I lost touch with Kieran, much to my regret. I wish that I had been able to thank him for his encouragement at a critical time in my life. He made a difference for me, as I am sure he did for many.
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“Kieran was such a lovely person. I sat in on his class a few times when I was finding my feet at UBC, and he was an absolutely mesmerizing teacher - he just kind of roamed around and talked, and the students hung on his every word (as did I). He’ll be sorely missed.
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