Keith Harrison

With profound sadness we announce the sudden death of Keith Harrison, on April 10, 2019, at his home on Hornby Island. Born in Vancouver in 1945, Keith was a well-loved and respected professor of English and Creative Writing and Journalism at Vancouver Island University for 22 years. Upon retirement, he was honoured by VIU as Academic Emeritus. In his decades of teaching he delighted in supporting his students as emerging thinkers and writers. Last year, Keith was happy to see his ninth book published, a scholarly study, Shakespeare, Bakhtin, and Film: A Dialogic Lens. He devoted his writing time to fiction as well, publishing five novels. Throughout his life Keith was intensely engaged with the arts, with a huge curiosity and great enthusiasm for words and ideas. He will be remembered for his warmth, lively wit and generous conversation.

Keith treasured a very deep affection for his grandchildren, Reid, Zoë and Wiley. He is survived as well by his life-long love, JoAnn, their two sons, John-Paul (wife Tracy) and Justin (wife Sarah), his brother Douglas (wife Betty), his sister Joan (husband Jim White), and many cherished family members, colleagues and friends.