Aug 25, 2010- 1:11 PM
Rev. Dr. Brian Aitken, who was ordained as a United Church minister in 1967, accepted a position at Huntington (a United Church educational institution affiliated with Laurentian University) in 1972 as a professor of religious studies and ethics.
At the time of his death he was still employed by Huntington, but on sabbatical leave.
Aitken helped to develop Laurentian's Honours Religious Studies program, the M.A in Humanities program as well the Gerontology program (1992), which he directed for 15 years, at both Laurentian's Sudbury and Georgian College (Barrie) campuses.
“Brian loved sports and was very knowledgeable of the ethical issues facing sports globally,” his obituary stated.
“He was an athlete as a young man, having played football at the University of Toronto and hockey in the Toronto Minor League system. As an adult, he was an active runner, cross country skier, paddler and sailor. He gave much of himself and his time to community work. Brian was a deeply spiritual man and it was this spirituality that helped him endure a 10-year fight with prostate cancer.”
He is survived by his wife, Andrea Turner, and daughter Sheila Aitken-Morrow (Andrew Morrow) of Chelsea, Quebec and their children Gavin and Cameron.
A celebration of Aitken's life will be held, although details have yet to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.
