Memorial Fund for Dr. Carol Crealock

Many of you will remember Dr. Carol Crealock, Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Carol was an active member of CASWE and CAEP for many years. She served 6 years on the CAEP Executive and was President of CAEP from 1983-1985. Also, she was instrumental in the organizing the Canadian Association for the Study of Women and Education (CASWE). Finally, Carol served as President of CSSE from 1990-1992. Sadly, Carol died on September 19, 2006.

CASWE, CAEP, and CSSE Colleagues remember Carol fondly:

“I knew and greatly admired Carol Crealock for many reasons. She had a commanding presence, and a strong sense of justice - in the manner of other second-wave feminists. But her passion for equity was belied (at first exposure anyway) by her soft-spoken and gentle nature. I think that people were often surprised by her tenacity and toughness because she had such a gentle way about her, so that at first, she could be under-rated. To be sure, those who thought of her as a push over only made this mistake once. She was a fine academic and path-breaking feminist” (Sharon Cook).

“My memories of Carol Crealock--always collegial and especially supportive to new scholars. Published, with Dan Bachor, one of the first Canadian textbooks on exceptional children. Conducted research  on learning disabilities, primarily  on written expression. Always at CSSE, one of the mainstays of CAEP and of CSSE, even in retirement” (Nancy Hutchinson).

“Carol Crealock was truly an "action", hands-on researcher whose work remained focused on those with learning disabilities for the two decades I worked with her. Whether it be their lives (with street kids), their literacy (developing writing models), or their identification, Carol wrote in ways that academics, practitioners, and parents could readily appreciate. She used her research transformatively, so that it could be readily understood and acted upon, and she lived what she "preached" zestfully” (Colin Laine).

“My strongest memory of Carol is her deep and genuine concern for people, not only those close to her in personal and academic ways but, just as much, others she never met. Perhaps this is why she dedicated her scholarly life to understanding and striving to have positive impact for students with special needs and whose circumstances placed them in disadvantageous positions” (Phil Winne).

“Key words that I find myself using [to describe Carol] are … those that I think her students would also use: kind, sympathetic, sensitive, understanding, perceptive, effective, clever, quiet, reasonable, and above all cheerful, caring and supportive" (Michael Jackson).

“Our faculty had a group called TRUWE (Teaching and Research Unit for Women in Education), to support women scholars in our faculty at a time when there were very few tenured or tenure-tracking women at least at our faculty. Carol served several times as co-chair of that group (as a feminist group, we always had co-chairs rather than single leaders of the group), and she also often welcomed us to her home for social events related to TRUWE. Carol Crealock was a wonderful and gracious woman and scholar. The field has lost a major figure that is sadly missed” (Suzanne Majhanovich).

“When I joined the Educational Psychology Division at the Faculty of Education at the University of Western Ontario as a new assistant professor, fresh from completing my doctorate, there were eight men and Carol Crealock. Carol immediately became my mentor, both in an official capacity as I worked toward registration as a psychologist, and in an informal capacity as she taught me the nuances of negotiating the complexities of academic life. Over the years that we worked together, she became a valued friend, as well as mentor, and helped to smooth my transition into the role of professor. I observed that she was equally helpful with the women graduate students that she taught and supervised in thesis work. Her contribution to the intellectual growth of students will have a lasting effect” (Anne Cummings).

In memory of Carol, CAEP and CASWE would like to initiate a joint award and we invite you to contribute to it. The goal is to raise principle for an award that will honour Carol and reflect the goals and interests of CASWE and CAEP. If you would like to contribute to this initiative, please log in to the CSSE membership area (a membership is not required to donate) or send checks to the attention of:

Dr. Christina Rinaldi, Secretary-Treasurer of CAEP
Department of Educational Psychology
University of Alberta, 6-107A Education North
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G5
CANADA
Make your check payable to CSSE and mark it for the Carol Crealock Memorial Fund.

If you have a special memory of Dr. Crealock that you would like shared on this site, please send it to us.