Remembering Harry Rogers (1932 – 2017)
On behalf of the WUSC community we would like to offer our profound condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Mr. Harry Rogers following his passing on February 13, 2017 at the age of 85.
Born in Toronto and raised in Barrie, Ontario, Harry attended the University of Western Ontario (UWO) where he graduated in 1954 as an economic gold medalist. In 1953, the summer before his senior year at UWO, Harry’s journey with WUSC began. He was selected as a student on the International Seminar to India. The 1953 seminar involved three study tours, which focused on development projects in India, Ceylon, and Pakistan.
Following his graduation from UWO in 1954, Harry joined the Ford Motor Company, where he worked until 1969 at which point he left to work with Xerox Canada. After working as the Senior Vice-President with Xerox, Harry left in 1978 to work for the Government of Canada. From 1978-1995 Harry held many positions within the Government, including Comptroller General of Canada, and Deputy Minister of Revenue Canada – Taxation, and the Department of Industry, Science, and Technology.
Throughout his career spanning over 5 decades, in both private enterprise and public service, Harry made many contributions to Canada through responsible policy making. He served on many advisory committees and acted as the Director of many organizations, including the Business Development Bank of Canada, the Niagara Institute, and the Public Policy Forum. Harry also gave his time and expertise as a member of the Board of Directors for many organizations, including the Ottawa General Hospital, the Canadian Center for Marine Communications, and Aerospatiale Canada Inc.
In addition to his work in development and social justice, Harry had a love of jazz music and played the piano for many years. He lived in Ottawa with his wife, Micheline. They were avid travelers and embarked on many journeys around the world with family and friends.
Harry was a man who always showed kindness, generosity, and a great deal of integrity. He will be remembered fondly by his wife, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, as well as friends, colleagues, and other family members. He is sure to be missed by all.