Ronald S. Love (1955-2008)

The department learned recently of the sudden death from natural causes of Dr. Ron Love, a former colleague who taught at the U of S for many years. Originally from Alberta, Ron earned a doctorate from the University of Southern California in 1987. A post-doctoral fellowship brought him to Saskatoon soon after, where he conducted his research into sixteenth-century French history and taught a wide variety of courses throughout the 1990s. From here he moved to a tenure-track appointment at the University of West Georgia, where he swiftly rose to the rank of associate professor. He was the author of several works, including Blood Religion: The Conscience of Henri IV, 1553 - 1593 (McGill-Queen's Press, 2001) and Maritime Exploration in the Age of Discovery, 1475 - 1800 (Greenwood, 2006), and was co-editor with Glenn Ames of Distant Lands and Diverse Cultures: the French Experience in Asia, 1600 - 1700 (Greenwood, 2003). A warm tribute from colleagues at the Western Society of French Historians, of which Ron was a past president, makes it clear that "His joy at seeing old friends and making new ones, his capacity to extend a welcoming hand to new members of the society, and his gracious help to those of us who served after him ... will be long remembered." A memorial service for Ron Love was held February 17th in Carrollton, Georgia.