Ric Soulis, a longtime Waterloo civil and environmental engineering professor, died June 21 after a brief illness.
Born in Toronto in 1949, Ric was raised in Kitchener where he attended Eastwood Collegiate Institute. He received his BASc in civil engineering in 1972 from the University of Waterloo and then attended Memorial University of Newfoundland.
He spent 10 years working in industry before he returned to the University of Waterloo where he completed his
Carl Haas, the chair of Waterloo’s civil and environmental engineering department, says that Ric had a substantial record of accomplishments and impact through his research in hydrology, water resources and the physics of water movement.
“Ric was an excellent mentor to several of our early career faculty members,” says Haas. “He was well respected in the department and throughout Waterloo Engineering for his integrity. He will be sorely missed by everyone across the Faculty.”
Giovanni Cascante, a Waterloo civil and environmental engineering professor, was one of many faculty members who benefited from Ric’s guidance.
“Since I started my work at the University in 1997, Ric has been a role model for me because of his kindness, perseverance, strength, and dedication,” says Cascante.
His family says that Ric was equally passionate about both his family and the University.
“As he did with his family and colleagues, he recognized the potential in his students and inspired them to tackle any challenge,” his sons wrote. “His door and his heart were always open."
Instrumental in launching the University’s weather station
Frank Seglenieks, the University of Waterloo’s weather station coordinator, says it was through Ric’s vision and guidance that the weather station was conceived and implemented.
“It is no exaggeration to say that without Ric there would be no University weather station,” he says.
Ric co-supervised Seglenieks while he completed his master’s in engineering at Waterloo and then supervised his doctoral studies.
In a weather station blog post Seglenieks says Ric always made the time for students to discuss answers to a question or share his views on science.
“I will forever be grateful for all the opportunities, mentorship, and friendship he provided me over these many years,” says Seglenieks.
Ric was predeceased by his mother and his father George, who died in January of this year. George, known as “the father of systems design engineering”, taught courses in several Waterloo Engineering departments starting in 1961. After his official retirement in 1991, George stayed on as an adjunct professor.
Ric is survived by his wife of 46 years, Carol Amrell Moogk-Soulis, their sons Neal (Melissa) and Graham (Michelle) and their son Brendan. Visitation for Ric will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home , 171 King St. S., Waterloo today, Wednesday, June 27 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. His funeral will take place at Emmanuel United Church, 22 Bridgeport Rd. W., Waterloo, on Thursday, June 28 at 11:00 a.m., with a reception to follow.
Memorial donations to the Ric Soulis Memorial Endowment Fund through the United Church of Canada Foundation or to Engineers Without Borders may be arranged by contacting the funeral home at https://erbgood.com/ or 519-745-8445.