Laurier mourns the passing of education champion Vern Gale

Jan. 20, 2025

Wilfrid Laurier University mourns the passing of long-time post-secondary education champion and community leader Vern Gale. Vern passed away on Jan. 4, 2025, one month shy of his 99th birthday. He was predeceased by his wife, Sue Merril, and is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Wendy Gale, two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Vern was a retired business owner in Brantford-Brant and an engaged community leader who volunteered his time and expertise with many organizations.

As an inaugural member of the Grand Valley Educational Society (GVES), he championed the establishment of Laurier’s Brantford campus in 1999 and the ongoing growth of post-secondary education in Brantford, Brant and Six Nations. In 2019, Vern and other members of the GVES were presented with the Order of Wilfrid Laurier University in recognition of exemplary and distinguished service to the university.

Upon retiring from his volunteer position with the GVES in 2020, Vern remarked in a news article that his favourite memories were of Laurier’s opening day in Brantford and its first graduation.

“They were very rewarding experiences for everyone involved,” he stated. “We could see that it was the beginning of something special.”

In addition to his contributions to the GVES, Vern volunteered for many years with Enterprise Brant and the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant. He served as chamber president in 1976 and received the Chamber of Commerce’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2014. He was a past-president of the Rotary Club of Brantford and a Paul Harris Fellow. In 2008, he received the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Volunteerism.

A graveside gathering will be held on Jan. 29, 2025 at noon at Farringdon Burial Ground, 287 Mt. Pleasant St. in Brantford, followed by reflection and refreshment at Toll Funeral Home, 55 Charing Cross St. in Brantford, at 1 p.m. Read Vern’s obituary in the Brantford Expositor.