Hilde English (BA '67)

The late Hilde English was an "extraordinary person whose spirit, vitality and contributions to society will be greatly missed," says Mary Stanley, a library manager who worked with English on the library fundraising campaign. English, who passed away in 2006 after a lengthy battle with cancer, began her association with the University of Waterloo as a popular and intelligent student in the 1960s. Upon graduating, English (BA '67) attended law school and soon became a highly regarded lawyer in Waterloo Region.

As her professional career in media and family law blossomed, English also donated her time and money to a wide variety of groups. At the University of Waterloo, English served on the Board of Governors and helped with Campaign Waterloo. She was co-chairperson of the Library Campaign Volunteer Team and a long-time Waterloo donor. In the community, she devoted her time to everything from the Kitchener-Waterloo YWCA to the Grand River Conservation Foundation.

For her dedication, English received numerous awards, including the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Shamrock Charities Tom Fitzgerald Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.

English, who was born in a bomb shelter in Germany in 1945, immigrated to the area as a young girl. Family, friends and colleagues remember her as a fighter who thrived in her various roles as wife, mother, lawyer and community volunteer.

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